


More Things In Heaven And Earth

by Ismira_Daugene



Category: Labyrinth (1986)
Genre: AU, Alpha Jareth, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe, F/M, Fantasy, First Time, Light Dom/sub, Omega Sarah, Romance, Slow Build
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-05
Updated: 2016-08-04
Packaged: 2018-05-11 22:50:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 25,236
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5644714
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ismira_Daugene/pseuds/Ismira_Daugene
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>ON HIATUS (details inside on chapter 8)</p>
<p>Sarah Williams is having a difficult time after the events of the Labyrinth. However strange things start happening to her physically, and she soon finds out that she's not who she thought she was. In steps Sarah's biological mother with some disarming truths about the past and unbelievable notions about Sarah's future.</p>
<p>Eventual Sarah/Jareth. Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics AU.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

It had been six long months since Sarah's return to the Aboveground. In that time, she'd gone through the five stages of grief. At first it had been denial that the entire trip to the Underground had ever happened. Her friends hadn't contacted her since that night and Toby was fine, and aside from the lingering memories, there was no definitive proof that it had indeed happened.

Next had been anger. Sarah had been inexplicably angry at pretty much anything that moved and some things that didn't. She'd wanted to know why this had happened to her, and what was she supposed to do now? She couldn't talk to anyone about it; they'd all think she was crazy! How could she be introduced to a world with magic and creatures beyond imagination only to be sent back and expected to live a normal life?

Bargaining had followed shortly after. The teenager had pleaded with the Goblin King to let her back in. She'd tried contacting her friends through the mirror in her bedroom with no success. She'd tried wishing for Jareth to appear. She'd tried wishing herself to the Underground. The only thing she didn't try (and wouldn't no matter what) was wishing Toby away again.

The depression phase had lasted the longest, nearly four whole months out of the six. Sarah had given up on getting back to the Underground and contacting her friends. She'd decided that they didn't want to see her. She stopped eating for a while during her depression, resulting in nearly a thirty-pound drop in weight. Before, she'd been a healthy girl, but now she was skeletal. Her father and step-mother put her into counseling, afraid that she had an eating disorder. However the counselor had come back with a report that she was grieving over something. The man never did find out what.

Eventually, nearly six months to the day, Sarah entered the phase of acceptance. It wasn't an epiphany or magical moment. It simply happened one day when she was staring blankly at her ceiling and she decided that this was it. This was her life and she would have to live it. Her parents were beyond happy that she came down to eat dinner with them that evening, even if she didn't eat all of her plate.

Sarah only had a week of living in acceptance before it happened. She was coming home from school. It was the beginning of spring break and she found herself smiling for the first time in months. The walk home was a bit long, especially in the cold wind that was threatening a storm, but she was enjoying the sparkling frost covered trees and light dusting of snow. Looking down at her feet, she didn't notice the man coming towards her until it was too late and she ran full on into him. "Oh my god! I'm so sorry!" she said as she looked up from her new position on the frozen sidewalk.

"No, no! It's my fault!" he said reaching down to help her up. He gripped her firmly and pulled. Sarah took notice of his shoulder length brown hair half pulled back in a tie. He was wearing a long wool coat and black boots over dark pants. "Are you alright?" he asked.

Her gaze rose to meet his blue eyes and she inhaled deeply. The smell of warm spices and wool met her. "Yeah," she answered weakly.

"Are you sure? You look a bit out of it." At that moment, he took in a deep breath as well. His eyes widened, pupils dilating slightly, and he looked at her more carefully, taking in her hazel eyes, dark brown hair, and fair features. "Are you…?" he trailed off. "I should walk you home. You shouldn't be out in your condition."

"Condition?" Sarah asked after a moment.

"Come on," he said, linking arms with her and pulling her along back the way he had come. "Where do you live?"

"Um…" she tried to focus, but the inviting smell of the stranger was leaving her hazy and confused. " 628 Cherry Lane," she finally managed.

The stranger nodded and started to lead the way. It took only ten minutes, but in that time, Sarah had gone from feeling fuzzy and warm to achy. Shivers stole over her and no amount of pulling her coat tighter was helping. "Here we are," the stranger finally said.

Sarah looked up to see her house, warm and inviting. "Thank you," she replied.

"I hope you feel better soon," he said sympathetically eyeing her shivering.

Sarah nodded and entered the old Victorian house. She turned before closing the door though. Despite how crumby she was starting to feel, she felt she owed the stranger something and was going to thank him again. However when she turned, he was already down the drive and walking along the sidewalk. The teen shrugged and closed the door. "Sarah? Is that you?" her stepmother, Karen, called out.

"Yeah," Sarah answered taking off her coat and boots.

"Oh good, I just put Toby down for a nap and I've got to run to the market for a moment. I won't be gone longer than twenty minutes," the strawberry blond woman had been rushing to put her coat and shoes on, but paused when she actually took in Sarah's appearance. "You don't look well, sweetie. Are you coming down with something?" she pressed the back of her hand against Sarah's forehead. Sarah leaned into the touch and closed her eyes. She was starting to feel like she had a head cold and menstrual cramps at the same time. "Hmm, bit warm. I want you to go right up to bed, okay? I'll call Robert and have him pick up my shopping on the way home."

"I'm fine," Sarah tried to protest, but her cheeks were glowing a ruddy red.

"Go lay down, Sarah," she interrupted giving the teen a stern look.

Sarah sighed and turned to go upstairs. When she finally made it, she collapsed onto her bed. She was starting to feel that warmth that Karen was talking about. Heat was coursing through her and she got up again to shed her clothing. When she was left in only her underwear and a tank top, she laid down on the bed again. A strange sensation was prickling at her and she couldn't quite place it. It was low in her abdomen and felt warm and achey.

Rubbing her arms with her hands caused her to gasp. Just the gentle touch was enough to send electric shocks down her body. Her skin was becoming sensitive to touch and the squirming on the bed that she'd taken up wasn't helping. She let out a needy whine and rolled onto her side to minimize the amount of skin touching something. "What's happening to me?" she whispered to herself as she tried not to move.

Sarah spent that night nearly sobbing at the ultra sensitivity of her skin rubbing against the sheets. At one point, later in the evening, her step-mother came in and covered her with a sheet. At another point, Sarah could remember hearing her father and step-mother talking quietly about taking her in to see a doctor. She was left alone for the rest of the night though.

The next morning dawned with Sarah's achey feeling completely gone and replaced with something else. Her libido was going crazy. Sarah was seventeen years old. She had felt sexually aroused before, but never like this! It was like the time she'd made out with Danny last summer behind the bleachers at the baseball field, only about a hundred times worse. She'd convinced her parents to just let her stay at home alone for the day, and though they'd given her dubious looks, they complied and went to work while Toby went to a sitter. Sarah spent almost five hours straight trying to get off using different methods. Each time resulted in an unsatisfactory orgasm. Several times she screamed in frustration.

Her parents came home to see her sweating, whimpering, and unable to focus. They were convinced she had a bad bout of the flu. By the time the next morning came, Sarah lay still in her bed. Sweat soaked the sheets and left a sheen on her skin. Her long brown hair lay in a damp, limp halo around her head. The fever was gone, and with it the extreme arousal. However lethargy had replaced it. Sarah rested for the next day, only rising to shower, use the bathroom, and try to eat something. Her parents took it as a good sign that she'd gotten over her flu. Sarah only wondered what had actually happened to her. No flu she'd ever had before made her horny before. Either way, she was glad it was over.

Three months later, Sarah had turned eighteen and had just finished high school. The graduation party had only last five hours, but she was exhausted by the time it was over. She leaned back on the couch, her arms and legs spread a bit to cool off. It was only early June, but it seemed warmer than usual to Sarah. Her tank top was sticking to her skin as a bead of sweat made its way steadily down the side of her face. "Sarah, dear?" Karen called out to her as she came in from the front yard where the party had been. "Could you help your father take down the folding tables? We need to return them to the rental place tomorrow morning, and it'll be easier if they're all loaded up and ready to go." She barely glanced at Sarah as she walked past the living room to set the leftover cake on the table.

"Yeah, yeah," Sarah grumbled, but rose to her feet anyway. She re-did her ponytail, making sure to scrape all the hair off the back of her neck, and went outside to help her dad. It only took about a half hour to take all the tables down and stack them in the trailer. However in that time, a fuzzy feeling had started to float around her head. Sarah downed an entire water bottle, blaming it on dehydration, before starting to help stack folding chairs. However the fuzzy feeling only grew, and with it came a definitely familiar ache in her lower abdomen. Sarah finished stacking the last chair and turned to her dad who was mopping sweat off his brow. "I'm gonna go lay down. I don't feel very good," Sarah muttered pointing towards the house.

Her dad gave her a concerned look, but nodded. "Okay, I'll come up and check on you in a bit, honey."

Sarah made her escape up to her bedroom and collapsed on her bed in ball. "Fuck, not this again," she groaned as a rather vicious cramp speared her gut. She curled in on herself even tighter, dreading what she knew would come next. However she was distracted from her painful cramps by a commotion outside in the hall. "She's my daughter, Robert! I will see her when I want!" a strong female voice said right before Sarah's bedroom door opened. "Sarah!" her mother cried out upon seeing her However the smile faltered when she saw that Sarah was in a tight ball on her side. "Oh dear, what's wrong honey? What can mommy do?"

Sarah grit her teeth and tried to push the pain back as she opened her eyes and stared at her famous actress of a biological mother. She'd sent the woman an invitation to her graduation party ages ago at Karen's insistence. Sarah didn't really want to see her mother though. The woman hadn't been there for anything else, why would a graduation party matter? "I'm fine, just cramps," she grumbled.

Linda came closer and pressed the back of her manicured hand to Sarah's forehead then ran it down her cheek. "Oh honey. This isn't cramps," she muttered as she kneeled down next to Sarah's bed to look at her dilated eyes. The dark haired woman let out a sigh and placed one hand over her daughter's forearm. "I'm sorry, Sarah. I didn't think… I hoped this wouldn't happen."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Sarah whimpered a bit as another cramp hit her.

"Shit," Linda muttered to herself. "Sarah, I need to get you out of here."

"What? I'm not going anywhere! What's going on?"

Linda rose to her feet then, her perfectly coiffed hair swaying slightly in the breeze from the fan on Sarah's desk. "Honey, there's something I need to tell you, but now isn't a good time. Right now, I need to get you someplace safe." She pulled on Sarah's arm to get her to sit up.

"What are you talking about? I'm safe here!" Sarah attempted to shrug away from her mother, but the woman had a surprisingly strong grip.

"Not safe enough," Linda muttered. "Look, I'm going down stairs to tell your father that you're going to spend the next week with me. That should be long enough." The last part was said more to herself as she helped Sarah to stay upright. "I need you to pack a bag. I don't care what you put in it. Just make it look like you're packing for a week or so." She let go of Sarah and backed toward the door.

"Stop! No! I'm not doing a damn thing until you tell me what's going on!" Sarah growled. Her cramps had lessened to a dull ache, but her body was starting to heat up. Sweat trickled down from her brow.

Linda stopped in the doorway, and looked back to see the defiant face of her daughter. She recognized that face from her own mirror. Letting out a small sigh with a smile she shook her head. "You always were so resilient... Sarah, you're going through what's called oestrus or heat. It starts in adolescents about your age, sometimes younger. It causes a lot of changes in your body including aches, pain, cramps, fever, and eventually sexual arousal. The problem is that your father and Karen are not equipped to deal with it."

"And you are?" Sarah snarked back.

"Yes." Sarah didn't have a response for this, but the look in her mother's eyes said she was completely serious. "Now we don't have time to argue. Do as I said and meet me out front of the house. Judging by hormones flooding the room, I'd say you've moved on to the next stages of oestrus. Which means we don't have much time."

With that, she spun out of the door and marched down the stairs. A few seconds later, a cheery high falsetto sounded as Linda began speaking with her ex-husband. Sarah still wasn't sure what the hell was going on. Her mother had never given her reason to trust her before, but the way she'd spoken with her just now… there was something serious in her tone. And there were questions that needed answering. Sarah slid off her bed, grabbed a duffle bag from her closet, and began shoving whatever her hands could reach into it. A minute later, she was packed and ready to go. Linda had worked her charm and had steered her father and Karen outside already. Sarah wiped her brow again, sweat coating the back of her hand. A funny kind of flutter was now happening in her lower abdomen and if she remembered correctly from before, that preceded the high libido.

Sarah rushed down the stairs and outside. Her father and Karen were listening intently to Linda as the taller woman smiled and gesticulated about while she spoke. The two didn't even have a chance to speak before Linda hugged them both and gestured Sarah forward. Sarah also hugged her father and step-mother, shivering a bit as her skin brushed their clothing. Linda then swept her away into the back of a silver sedan. The driver pulled away from the curb as Linda called up to him, "Take us to that park with the obelisk. You know the one."

"Yes, ma'am," the driver replied with a British accent.

Linda pressed the button for the divider to go up then turned back to her daughter. Sarah was now squirming a bit on the black leather seat. She couldn't get comfortable. Every move she made sent sensations through her nervous system making her want to cry out and just throw herself out of the car. "We'll be there soon, dear," Linda said gently, but kept her hands to herself now.

"Where are we going?" Sarah asked. "And what did you do to dad and Karen? They never would have let me just go like that."

"Someplace special, and I… persuaded them. It's one of my gifts."

Sarah eyed her mother for a moment, but let the 'persuasion' thing go. "The park? What's so special about there?"

Linda didn't answer, and only looked out the window to see how much farther it was. Five minutes later, they came to a stop in the small parking lot of the park. Linda and Sarah exited the car, the former leaning down to tell the driver something quietly. She straightened as he pulled away, and took Sarah's duffle bag from the girl's now shaking hands. "Come, Sarah."

The elder woman quickly led the way towards the wooded area at the back of the park. Her expensive designer heels sunk into the soft dirt, but it didn't seem to bother her. "Where…?" Sarah breathed, not able to finish her question. She didn't want to move anymore. She just wanted to be unconscious, because at least then she wouldn't be aware of the sensations rushing through her body.

"Just ahead, dear." True to her word, Linda stopped just inside the tree line. They were just far enough in that no one would see them from the park. Linda and Sarah stopped and Linda grabbed both of Sarah's hands. "Hold tight, dear. This isn't going to be pleasant."

Sarah was beyond asking questions now. She did as she was told and gripped her mother's hands tightly as the woman began to chant quickly. A minute later, there was a rushing sound like a waterfall and Sarah's vision broke down. It was like she was inside a kaleidoscope. However the sensation didn't last long and when everything cleared they were standing in the middle of a wide drive in front of a stately manor reminiscent of those in the English countryside. "Where…?" Sarah trailed off again, her eyes wide and almost bugging out of her skull at the sight of the large three story brick building in front of her. Ivy clung to the walls and tall broadleaf trees grew in neat lines along the sides.

"My manor," was all Linda said before escorting Sarah inside. "Ethan!" she called out as they entered.

A tall lean man with long dark brown hair pulled back in a single tail jogged into the entryway, a surprised look on his face. "Marchioness! We were not expecting you this soon!" he blurted out.

"Change of plans. Get me Izumi now!" She hefted Sarah slightly in her grip. The younger girl was past speaking now and was shivering uncontrollably. She could barely support her own weight, but thanks to Linda, she stayed upright.

Ethan did not argue, but ran to do as bid. A minute later, a female with pointy ears, midnight black hair, sun tanned skin, and dark tattoos swirling across what was visible of her skin entered behind Ethan. She bustled over to the two women and pressed two fingers to Sarah's wrist. "Much too fast," she muttered. "Hang on," she let go of the girl's arm and dug in the bag she'd brought with her. A moment later, her hands emerged with a bottle and a syringe. She uncapped the syringe, filled it with three milliliters of the translucent purple liquid, and quickly stuck it in the vein at Sarah's elbow.

"What was that?!" Linda nearly shouted. "She's half human!"

Izumi gave her employer a single raised eyebrow. "The facial structure between you both is too similar to be anything other than mother and daughter. Add that into what I know of your past and the fact that the girl has no obvious fae features… needless to say, I know, ma'am."

Linda rolled her eyes and let out a sigh of relief.

Izumi continued though as she took Sarah's free arm and draped it over her shoulder to support the suddenly unconscious girl. "It's a mild sedative that will wear off in approximately three hours. It will also help manage the symptoms with what is obviously the girl's oestrus. When she wakes, I will take a patient history and be able to give her medicines to better manage her heat."

Linda nodded. "Help me get her up to the Ivy Room. I want her close to my room. Ethan, make yourself useful and teleport us upstairs."

"Yes, ma'am!" the dark haired fae rushed over and quickly wove the teleportation spell. All four of them disappeared from the entryway and reappeared in the Ivy Room on the third floor of the grand manor.

They carefully placed Sarah on top of the blankets of the large four poster bed and stepped back. "My poor, Sarah. I had hoped you wouldn't have to go through this," Linda gently brushed the hair out of the girl's face.

"Has she had exposure to magic?" Izumi asked. "Because I highly doubt her fae biology would have kicked in without it."

"No, of course not!" Linda replied barely glancing over at the healer. "She's been living in the Aboveground her entire life!"

"You're sure?"

Linda didn't answer. She stroked Sarah's cheek and pressed a kiss to her brow. She hadn't been there for her daughter like she should have. Obviously something had happened in her life to jumpstart her fae biology. Had she known, Linda would have been there in an instant. As it was, she had hoped that Sarah could have a normal human life without her. A normal human life without fae politics, magic spells, or mythical creatures.

"I don't know," she replied quietly, suddenly regretting her decision to leave Sarah with Robert.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Notes: Hey everyone! So this is a new story I'm starting featuring an AU Labyrinth story! There is seriously not enough AU Labyrinth! I had the idea for this a couple of years ago and put it up on my VOTE! work as part of 12 other pieces for people to vote on for which I should continue with. This one was no where near the winners, but I really wanted to do it after an inspirational message a fan sent a couple of months after the voting stopped. So here's to you, amazing fan who's name I forget! Anyway, this one features an Alpha/Beta/Omega dynamics world wherein fae naturally are either Alphas or Omegas and humans are Betas. If you do not know what that means, hold on tight cuz here's the nickle tour!
> 
> Alpha/Beta/Omega or Alpha/Omega (occasionally Alpha/Beta) is a kink trope where some or all people have defined biological roles based on a hierarchical system, with the terms originating from animal behaviour research. There may be werewolf, knotting, or other animalistic elements involved, or the characters may be otherwise purely human.
> 
> Alphas are generally dominant and able to impregnate Omegas. Male Alphas usually have a knot when aroused.
> 
> Betas are subordinate to Alphas and may or may not be able to impregnate Omegas; in some fanworks Betas aren't present and the trope is known as Alpha/Omega, in others they take the role and functions of Omegas and Omegas aren't present.
> 
> Omegas are generally lowest on the hierarchy (although in some fanworks Omegas are rare and prized). Male Omegas are self-lubricating and have the ability to become pregnant, sometimes referred to as being bred or mated. Lovers may form pair-bonds with a special connection with telepathic or empathetic qualities. Paired Alphas may be jealous and possessive of their mate, while the Omega may become submissive. Omegas and Alphas may go into heat and need to have sex; this may be the only time Omegas are fertile.
> 
> (Info all taken from fanlore.org)
> 
> Go google it if you want to know more! *queue NBC's The More You Know star and music*
> 
> Or check out this [funny and informational primer](http://archiveofourown.org/works/403644) by [norabombay](http://archiveofourown.org/users/norabombay/pseuds/norabombay)!
> 
> Hopefully I'll be able to keep a regular update schedule, but honestly school is starting up again soon and I'm not sure how busy I'll be. I don't have any more than this written so far, so I'm kinda making it up as I go! Cheers to flying by the seat of my pants!


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We learn more about Sarah's history and the A/B/O dynamics of the Underground. Apologies in advance for the amount of exposition.

Sarah jerked awake with a short gasp. However a second later she was groaning at the ache in her muscles… every single damn one of them. It felt like that time she'd spent three consecutive days helping her aunt Sherri move houses. Sarah rolled to her side and pulled the blankets up higher. She had just decided to go back to sleep when she noticed one very important thing; she wasn't in her own room. In fact, she wasn't in any room she'd ever seen before.

There was a theme of greens, violets, golds, and rich walnut finishing evident in the furniture, carpets, and drapery. She lay in a four poster bed with ivy patterned green hangings tied back. The tall bay window to the right held several comfy looking cushions, and looked perfect for reading in. Across the room sat a fireplace with a marble mantle that looked large enough for Toby to crawl around in. A door made to blend in sat on either side of the fireplace, and a larger wooden door was situated to the left. Two cozy looking chairs sat on either side of a small breakfast table, and a room divider stood folded back next to the bed.

"Where the hell am I?" Sarah murmured as she sat up. Her muscles ached fiercely, and the extreme lethargy she remembered from last time this happened made her want to lay back down. There were too many questions though! How had she gotten here? She vaguely remembered her mother showing up at her graduation party, but that was about it. Everything after that was fuzzy at best.

Sarah slid her legs off the bed; her feet dangled slightly above the floor. Scooching further, her bare feet made contact with the rug below them and she slowly stood up. She was guessing that one of the doors on either side of the fireplace was a private bathroom. With a bit of wobbling and luck, she found that she was correct. The bathroom looked modern enough with a marble bath, toilet, and sink. Though the sunken bath seemed large enough to fit four adults easily. She found a hand towel and washed up a bit before heading back out. Just as she finished tying closed a lavender housecoat and closed the bathroom door, someone knocked softly on the door to her room and cracked it open. Linda's pale face and dark locks poked through, a smile on her face when she saw that Sarah was up. "Sarah, darling," she greeted fulling coming into the room.

Sarah didn't smile back. She was still confused as hell about everything that had happened after her graduation party. "Mom," she replied back instead.

Linda moved forward and hugged her daughter tightly. "It's so good to see you up and about, dear."

"Yeah, about that. What the hell happened?" Sarah asked remaining stiff against the hug.

Her mother pulled away and gave her a forced smile, her brow slightly furrowed. "I think it's best if we sit down for this," she gestured to the chairs and table. "Let me just call for some tea and a little something to eat, yes?"

Sarah didn't protest. In fact, she was just starting to realize that she was starving. Linda stuck her head out into the hall and gave some orders to someone who must have been waiting out there. A moment later they were both seated at the table. "Where to start…" Linda muttered.

"How about with where are we?" Sarah asked relaxing back. Her muscles still ached quite a bit and she wouldn't say no a bit of ibuprofen right about now.

Linda gave her that forced smile again and tapped her fingers together on the table. "We're at my manor," she said simply.

"Your manor? You have a manor now? Where?"

"I've had a manor for a long time, dear. Been passed down through the family actually. And it's…" she hesitated for a moment, her eyes straying down to her hands. "Sarah," her eyes came back up to meet her daughter's. "This may sound a bit far fetched, but we're not in your world anymore."

Sarah was silent for a moment showing little reaction. " _My_ world? What do you mean _my_ world?" A knot had formed in Sarah's stomach.

"There are worlds that run parallel to each other, Sarah. Your world is one of them. It's called the Aboveground. This world is another," she made a sweeping gesture with one hand before pulling it back in to rest on the table again. "It's called the Underground. Though really I'm not quite sure why. It's not actually under ground." Her mother was babbling now, filling up the silence. "Though I suppose it could be Underground in that mythical creatures chose to hide here?" She refocused on Sarah. "A pondering for another time though," she said with a smile as another knock sounded at the door. "Ah! Tea!"

Linda rose to get the tea and came back with a large tray filled with finger food and tea fixings. She busied herself pouring tea for her and Sarah before sitting back down and helping herself to one of the small sandwiches on the platter. However she only raised the teacup halfway to her mouth before setting it back down again. "I'm not human," she blurted out.

Sarah stared at her mother with wide hazel eyes. "You… you what?" she asked quietly, one hand wrapped loosely around the handle of her own teacup.

Linda looked up at her daughter and gave her a small smile. "Human. I'm not human, dear."

"Then… that means…" Sarah stuttered, searching for the words she wanted, but all that came to mind was a blank canvas.

"I'm fae. Sidhe nobility to be exact, which means that you are too." Linda took a sip from her tea.

"Sidhe… fae? Is dad really my dad?" Sarah finally asked.

"Oh yes!" Linda nodded getting into the rhythm of explaining things. It seemed she'd decided to just jump wholeheartedly into it. "Met your father at a bar actually. He was celebrating having been accepted into law school." She glanced down at her hands clasping the teacup. "Spent a very lovely couple of months together, and you were the end result." She smiled softly as she remembered the past.

"Hold on, you're fae?" Sarah halted the story.

"Yes, dear, I believe we covered that."

"Yeah, I mean… no. How? Why were you in my world?"

Linda shrugged. "It gets rather boring from time to time here, so occasionally fae will travel Aboveground to… spice things up a bit."

"But you're also a successful actress?"

"Ah, yes… if the other courtiers knew they'd likely laugh quite heartily. But it does keep me amused."

"Amused?"

"Sarah, dear, if you're going to continue repeating me I'll have to call the healer in to check if you're feeling ill."

"No, I'm fine," Sarah insisted, though she was actually feeling kind of jittery at the moment. She took a sip of tea to calm herself and found that it was actually very good. "But…" she set the cup back down. Her stomach was in knots as she recognized the words Underground and Aboveground. She knew those terms. She knew them because she'd been in the Underground before. But she couldn't… she couldn't tell. Linda wouldn't understand. "What's been happening to me? Why do I get sick?"

Linda blushed a little at that. "You haven't been sick, dear."

"Then what? Is it a fae thing?"

"Yes and no," Linda leaned forward. "Sarah, the fae are born the same as humans. Sex is determined at birth based on chromosomes. Unlike humans though, fae decide their own gender as they mature: male, female, or non-binary. Also unlike humans, fae have a secondary gender that is based on their hormones: alpha or omega. Humans are never alphas or omegas. They're only ever betas. Alphas are naturally more aggressive, possessive, and territorial. Omegas are more subservient, but they can be just as aggressive, possessive, and territorial when they're mates or young are involved. Betas are a balance between the two."

Sarah stared at her mother blankly. "What are you talking about? Alphas? Betas? Omegas? Isn't that like, something to do with wolves?"

"There are several species that naturally have A/B/O dynamics," Linda answered. "With human/fae hybrids though, it's a 50:50 shot. Half the time they develop a secondary gender, and half the time they don't."

Sarah's brow furrowed and her lips thinned a bit. "So you just left me with dad even though you knew there was a 50:50 chance of me being… this? What am I?!" Her voice rose as she spoke.

"You're an omega, dear. And I thought you'd be safe with your dad," Linda sighed before taking another sip of tea. "In the past, those hybrids who stayed in the Aboveworld tended to be betas. Those who grew up in the Underground tended to develop into either alphas or omegas. The only way for a hybrid who grew up in the Aboveground to develop alpha or omega dynamics is for them to return to the Underground at some point pre-puberty. Or at least that's what Izumi tells me." At Sarah's confused look Linda added on, "Izumi is my personal healer and a close friend."

They sat for a moment in quiet. Sarah's tea had started to cool, but she still clutched at the porcelain cup as she processed everything that had been said. Would her mother figure it out? That she'd been back to the Underground? That she'd wished Toby away? "How… how would I develop an omega dynamic then?" Sarah asked hesitantly.

Linda smiled a little sympathetically. "I don't know, dear. There haven't actually been that many fae/human hybrids. Maybe only a dozen in the past century?"

Sarah slumped back in the chair, her hands dropping to her lap. She was safe. "So… are you an omega too?" she asked.

Linda nodded. "Of course. Only omegas can bear children after all. That and female betas."

Sarah nodded absently. "I think…" she murmured. "I think I need to be alone for a while."

"Sarah, are you okay?" Linda frowned slightly in concern.

"Yeah, I just… this is a lot to take in." The young woman was feeling very sleepy again. "Is it normal to feel so tired after… whatever it is that happened?"

"Yes, it takes a bit to get used to," Linda answered. "How many times has this happened, Sarah?"

"This was only the second time. What exactly happened anyway?" Sarah could feel her eyes droop.

"We can talk about that later, dear. Why don't you get some more rest for now?" Linda rose and walked around to help Sarah to her feet. The younger woman tried to pull away, but found that her achy muscles were having issues supporting themselves. Sarah reluctantly allowed her mother to help her back into bed where she fell back against the pillows exhausted. Just sitting up and talking seemed to have taken a lot out of her.

"There now," Linda gently brushed the hair from Sarah's face. "Get some rest and we'll chat some more later."

Sarah nodded, too tired to come up with words.

Linda quietly tucked her daughter in, and left her to sleep.

oOoOoOo

When Sarah woke up next, there was barely any light in the room. The faint sheen of moonlight entering through the bay window was only added to by the glowing embers in the fireplace. Her muscles still ached, but it wasn't as severe as before. She sat up slowly and noticed a glass of water and a note on the bedside table. Ring the pull bell next to the bed when you wake up, it read. Sarah looked around and noticed a large silk rope hanging from the ceiling next to the bed. She reached out and pulled. It gave slightly before springing back up. Sarah didn't hear anything, but she assumed it connected with a bell somewhere else. While she waited, she drank the entire glass of water.

Sarah wasn't quite sure who she was expecting to show up, her mother most likely, but when the bedroom door opened a few minutes later it was decidedly not her mother who walked in. Instead a small woman with tanned skin, dark tattoos, and long black hair entered with a large bag slung over one shoulder. "Hello, my name is Izumi," she introduced herself as she turned a dial next to the door that lit several lamps along the walls. Her voice was low and commanding.

"Izumi," Sarah murmured as the woman, who Sarah only now noticed had pointed ears, came closer and set her bag on the bed. "Linda mentioned you."

"All good things, I hope," she said with a trace of an accent that sounded Eastern Asian. She opened the bag and pulled out several items including what looked like a stethoscope. "I was rather upset with your mother when she insisted that you get more rest before I examine you. May I?" she held up the stethoscope in question.

Sarah nodded and Izumi helped her lean forward before placing the stethoscope on her back to listen to her lungs. "Why would you need to examine me? Linda said I wasn't sick… that what happened was because I'm an omega."

"What happened to you is called oestrus or heat. It's when an omega's body readies itself for pregnancy. For full blooded fae oestrus happens once every five years. Because you are half human, the cycle is shorter. How much shorter I can't quite tell yet because you're still maturing. Lungs sound good." She switched the stethoscope to Sarah's chest. "And I need to examine you because there can be complications in fae/human hybrids when they first start having heats."

"I'm eighteen. I'm nearly done maturing," Sarah protested.

"Not by a long shot, honey," Izumi smirked as she pressed her index and middle finger to Sarah's neck to measure her carotid pulse. Her thin, narrow, angular eyes tracked Sarah's breathing as she counted seconds. "Pulse is a little slow, but that's to be expected." She brought her hands back to herself and took the stethoscope out of her ears. "A fae does not reach the end of puberty until between the ages of fifty and seventy-five. You are only half fae and have been raised in the Aboveground, but given that you developed an omega dynamic I'd guess you'll probably live longer than the average human as well. Especially since you're now in the Underground."

They were quiet for a moment as Izumi dug around in her bag before emerging with a clear glass phial and a needle. "Would you mind if I take a blood sample?" Izumi asked. "I'd love to have the chance to see the differences in blood chemistry for a fae/human hybrid."

Sarah eyed the needle for a moment before nodding and straightening her arm. "Am I really that unique?"

Izumi stuck out her tongue slightly as she connected some tubing to the needle and gently pressed it into Sarah's vein at her inner elbow. "You are actually. There are very few fae/human hybrids. The few that exist live quiet lives. Not many want to advertise that they're of mixed heritage. Many consider it a weakness."

"Weakness?" Sarah grimaced, her brow furrowing and her nose crinkling as she watched the phial fill with her blood.

"Sure. You won't live quite as long as a fae and will have limited magical abilities. However you're much more sturdy and have a better immune system than either fae or humans. Really it's all how you look at it, and there'll always be purists who believe what they want to." Izumi finished up and pressed a piece of gauze against Sarah's inner elbow. "Hold that there for a minute or two."

Sarah did as asked. "I have magical abilities?"

Izumi nodded as she carefully packed away the phial of blood. "Like I said, limited abilities."

"Like what? What would I be able to do?"

The small woman shrugged. "It depends. Every fae has some basic abilities, but each also has what's called a talent. Your mother for example has the talent of persuasion. She's able to make anyone she speaks to see and agree to her point of view. It has limits of course… like how long it lasts and how far away they are from her."

Sarah's eyes widened as she remembered Linda telling her in the car that she had persuaded her father and Karen into letting her take Sarah. "But that's horrible!" Sarah protested. "Making people do things they don't want to do isn't right!"

Izumi raised a single eyebrow and assessed Sarah for a moment. "Of course it isn't. From what I understand of your mother's talent, she cannot make someone do anything they truly don't want to do though."

"Then how did she talk my father and step-mother into letting me come here?"

"I imagine she used her words wisely," Izumi stated diplomatically. "How you word something can make all the difference in those kinds of situations."

Sarah thought that over for a moment before deciding to give in. Izumi was clearly behind Linda one hundred percent. "So then will that be what my talent is? Persuasion?"

"An individual's talent is unique unto themselves. It isn't genetic. That and there's no guarantee you'll have a talent at all given your heritage."

Sarah nodded. "Right," she murmured.

"I'll leave you to rest now. It's still quite late," she paused and smiled slightly. "Or rather early… Either way. You should sleep more. You'll feel back to normal by tomorrow afternoon. Stay hydrated and do eat something. You're thin as a rail!"

"But... sorry, um… how often is this oestrus thing going to happen? What is it exactly?"

Izumi sighed and set her bag down again. "It's difficult to determine how often you will go into oestrus. It will happen more frequently now when you're first starting out than later. Fae usually even out after their third or fourth heat, and then it only happens for three to five days once every five years. For a hybrid though, it will most likely happen at smaller intervals such as once every six months."

"Okay. That's good to know."

"As for what exactly is happening to your body? It's preparing itself to be impregnated. You are most fertile during oestrus. Omegas have a 99% conception rate during oestrus if protection of some kind is not used. During the process, you emit pheromones that attract an ideal mate. Each omega has a unique set of pheromones, and every alpha has different pheromone receptors. There is an ideal alpha for every omega."

"So what, there's one perfect alpha for me?"

"Not precisely. More like there will be certain alphas whose pheromone receptors will be more sensitive and receptive towards your pheromones."

"Huh," was all Sarah had for that.

"In addition, you should be warned that alphas tend to go into overdrive when they smell an omega in oestrus. Most will do anything to be with the omega, and there have been more than a few deaths because of territorial battles for unmated omegas. Once an omega is mated, their pheromones change so that only their mate detects when they go into heat."

"Do I have to worry about alphas during my heat?" Sarah asked timidly. She wasn't seeing an upside to this whole thing. More like an excuse for alphas to blame biology for their actions.

"It would be better to seclude yourself during oestrus," Izumi nodded. "Alphas are capable of controlling themselves, but if there is more than one alpha in the vicinity they may see it as their duty to protect you."

"That sounds like a bunch of bull," Sarah scoffed.

Izumi smiled. "Indeed."

"Sorry, I didn't think before saying that. What is your secondary gender?" Sarah grimaced hoping she hadn't just called the woman an idiot inadvertently.

"No need to worry. I'm a beta."

"But I thought Linda said that fae were only ever alpha or omega?"

Izumi raised an eyebrow and gave Sarah a critical look. "Do I look fae to you?"

Sarah grimaced again as she took in the short woman's stature, swirling tattoos, warm tan skin, jet black waist long hair, and pointed ears. "No?"

"No. I am an elf from the northern tribe. Not that I expect you to understand that…" Izumi trailed off with a thoughtful look. "Elves can be alphas, betas, or omegas. However about sixty percent are beta."

"Oh, sorry if I offended you," Sarah apologized.

"No worries, I know you meant no offence." Izumi rose and picked up her bag again. "Now, I'll just be off. You get some more rest. I'll be back sometime tomorrow afternoon to make sure you're back to normal." She eyed the empty water glass, and muttered something in a different language while waving a hand over it. The glass refilled itself with clear cool water. "There, now it will refill itself when you empty it. Remember to stay hydrated."

Sarah nodded and reached out to take a drink.

"Goodnight, Sarah," Izumi gave a short bow before turning the dial on the wall next to the door again to dim the lights.

"Goodnight, Izumi," Sarah replied, settling in once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, apologies for the huge amounts of exposition. However the responses to the last chapter made it clear that the whole A/B/O dynamics thing needed to be clarified for some people. Hopefully this made clear the world that we're entering.
> 
> Also, some of you may notice that I changed the healer's name from Adrienne to Izumi. I also changed Linda's title from Marquess to Marchioness as a reviewer pointed out that Marchioness is the female version of Marquess.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we finally see Jareth!

"Boots off the table, Jareth." The pale blond fae rolled his eyes, but did as his sister requested. "If you're going to act like an arse, I'm not going to invite you to lunch anymore!" The angry female fae crossed her arms and stared down at her brother lounging indolently across the sofa.

"Rhiannon," Jareth began.

"Oh for the Goddess' sake! Call me Rhia! You know I hate my full name!"

"Yes, dearest sister, whatever you say," Jareth waved a gloved hand in Rhia's general direction.

"Would it kill you to listen every once and awhile? I am the older sibling!"

Jareth glared at her. "By two whole minutes," he protested.

"Still older," she grinned then and moved towards a door leading off the sitting room. "Gwendolyn! Bran! Your Uncle Jareth is here!"

Two sets of feet thundered down the hallway, and two blond children who looked approximately ten and eight years old emerged into the sitting room with wide grins on their faces. "UNCLE JARETH!" they yelled in unison as they tackled him.

Jareth grunted as the two young fae collided with him and the sofa skidded back a couple of inches. The younger fae giggled when their uncle put on a wounded act. "Oh! You've crushed me! The light is slowly dimming! I fear I'm not long for this world!" He slouched back against the upholstery, his head slumping to one side.

"Uncle Jareth!" Bran protested as his sister giggled. "You promised to go riding with us today!"

Jareth suddenly recovered and grabbed hold of Bran, lifting the boy up to sit on his knee. "Did I? I don't seem to recall this promise you speak of." He theatrically tapped on gloved finger against the side of his jaw as he looked to the ceiling in thought.

"But you did!" Gwendolyn tugged on his loose sleeve. "You promised last time we saw you! Remember? It was during the Winter Solstice and we just got done talking about what kind of horse you're going to get me when I'm old enough, and you said you'd take us riding next time you visited!"

Jareth wrapped his arm around her and pulled her against his side. "I see," he smirked. "It must be true for you to remember it in such great detail." Gwendolyn beamed with pride. "Okay, okay, but it'll have to wait till after lunch. I hear it's almost finished."

At that moment a servant popped her head in and announced that lunch was indeed ready. The two fae children giggled and jumped down from the sofa in order to lead the way to the small family dining room. "You spoil them," Rhia commented.

Jareth pushed himself up and dusted off his sleeves. "Of course not. There's no such thing. Besides, with Cináed gone half the time, they need someone to spoil them," he argued, referencing Rhia's husband who was a Colonel in the High King's army. "Where is dear Cináed anyway?"

Rhia threaded her arm through her brother's and tugged him along. "He's been on a mission Aboveground for the past month or so," she replied vaguely. Jareth knew Cináed was not allowed to give too much detail in regards to his missions, and therefore Rhia probably didn't know much more than that. "And I'll have you know Cináed has responsibilities that cannot be avoided. Besides, he makes up for it when he comes home," Rhia defended her bonded mate and husband.

"Ugh! I don't need to hear how he makes it up to you!" Jareth scrunched up his nose and squinted his eyes, disgust evident in the downturn of his lips.

Rhia smacked his arm. "Pervert!" she grumbled good naturedly. "Come on, they've probably started without us," she picked up the pace.

**oOoOoOo**

It was several hours later when Jareth returned home to his castle beyond the Goblin City. The smaller goblins, as per usual, were chasing each other around with exuberance. He grinned at their antics for a moment before slamming the throne room door open . "What is going on here?" he asked just loud enough to get their attention, gloved hands resting on his hips.

Several of the goblins squeaked in surprise and tripped over their own feet as they skidded to a stop. They knew they weren't suppose to be in the throne room unless there was a wished away child, but they frequently found it necessary to break the rule when Jareth left the castle for any period of time. Jareth didn't actually mind. The smaller goblins were quite funny sometimes in their antics. However he had to keep his image and exert authority.

"King back!" one of the smaller goblins shouted. Immediately, all of the goblins who had looked horror struck at being caught in the throne room were suddenly ecstatic at their monarch's return. "King back!" echoed across the throne room.

Jareth sighed and brought a gloved hand up his brow. He would never admit it, but sometimes he envied the goblins' ability to switch gears so fast and completely forget what had happened only seconds ago. "Alright, alright!" he called out to quiet them down. "Now get out. Where's Griord?"

At that moment a taller goblin (it had not passed Jareth's notice that it seemed the taller the goblin the more intelligent they were, why this was so was anyone's guess) dressed in a deep plum and green outfit with gold trim hurried into the throne room. "A thousand pardons, your most patient of lords!" the goblin sputtered as he drew nearer. He bowed his horned head humbly before popping back up. "I did try to keep them out, my Lord, but you know how they are."

"Yes, yes," Jareth waved him off the topic. "I need a status update about the conflict between the trolls and the hinkypunks in the west swamp. Their feud is becoming dangerous to runners and needs to be resolved quickly."

"Of course, your most regal of lords! I shall have a written report on your desk by tomorrow morning," Griord nodded as he followed along in his King's wake.

"Good, that will be all then, Griord," Jareth dismissed the goblin as he entered his office.

"Have a good evening, my lord," Griord gave another short bow before running off to his own office, no doubt to start on the report the King had requested.

Jareth groaned as he settled back in his padded office chair. It had been a long afternoon out riding with Bran and Gwendolyn. The two young fae had been so excited to go out without their mother that Jareth couldn't help but indulge them. They of course were followed by a member of the family's security detail, but aside from that it was just him with his niece and nephew. They traveled perhaps seven miles on a trail through the forest at the back of the family's property, but for Bran and Gwen, it was an adventure! Jareth smiled as he remembered the children's exuberance and excitement at every turn in the path. At one point they started making up a story for their journey. Bran insisted they were off to save a princess from a dragon, and Gwen decided she was on an important secret mission from the High King himself. Eventually they had to head back in. Both Bran and Gwen had protested, but Jareth promised them that they'd continue the adventure another day. Besides, the High King's annual ball was coming up next week and they would see each other then.

Jareth frowned at the thought of the High King's ball. He hated going, but every year he went thanks in large part to Rhia who badgered him endlessly. However once there it was a constant stream of nobles asking how the goblins were, when he was going to find a mate, where did he find his tailor, and what he thought of the High King's latest decrees. It was all so tiresome and pointless. However it was inevitable. If he didn't go, it wouldn't just be his sister's wrath he would have to deal with. She was constantly dropping hints about finding an omega to settle down with. Not to mention, Bran and Gwen would be disappointed if he didn't go. No, he had to go because the week long annual event was also when the nobles met to reaffirm loyalties and negotiations.

Resigned that he wouldn't be able to get out of the ball, Jareth turned to go over the reports waiting on his desk. He needed to get ahead if he was to spend a full week at the High King's ball. Though if he was lucky, he would be able to finish his negotiations and leave Avalon and the pretentious nobles a few days early.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for how long it took to get this chapter out and for how short it is in relation. It was a very difficult chapter to write for some reason. However I've got big ideas for the next chapter! So hopefully that will be out before the end of the month, and will be longer than this one!
> 
> Thanks for being patient!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Sarah spends some time trying to be normal, and we learn more backstory!

Sarah walked, head held high and back straight, down the hallway lined with rich paintings of nature and tapestries with mythical creatures. There was a paneled wooden door at the end of the hall with a brass lever handle, and Sarah barely waited after knocking before entering. Her mother, Linda, sat behind a desk in a plush chair. Bookcases lined half the wall to the left while a fireplace with an elaborately carved marble mantle rested in the wall to the right. More paintings, this time flowers and abstracts that looked very similar to Georgia O'Keefe's works, decorated the wall. "Sarah," Linda looked up from the letter she was writing, a fountain pen in her left hand. "What is it, dear?"

"We need to talk."

Linda put the cover back on her fountain pen and laid it down. "Have a seat," she gestured towards a set of two chairs and a table near the fireplace. Sarah took the chair closest to the door while Linda moved to the other seat. "Would you like me to ring for tea?"

"No," Sarah shook her head. "I'll keep this short." Linda nodded and folded her hands on the table. "Look, it's been a couple of days now and I'm back to normal. I mean I feel perfectly fine and Izumi cleared me as being okay. While I appreciate that you've opened your home to me, and have taken the time to teach me about my heritage I think it's time that I went back home."

Linda frowned slightly. "Sarah…"

"Dad and Karen will be worried," Sarah interrupted. "We only told them a week or so, and it's been that. Besides, I need to get back to my life. I was supposed to be interviewing for summer jobs this week."

Linda's frown faded and she nodded. "I understand, Sarah. I was just hoping… well the High King's annual ball is coming up next week and I had hoped you would come with me so that I could introduce you as my daughter."

Sarah was quiet for a moment as this sunk in. She was still a bit fuzzy on how politics in the Underground worked, but from what she had heard the High King was pretty much in charge of everything, so this annual ball would be a big deal. However… "So _now_ you want to introduce me as your daughter? After my fae heritage has emerged?" Sarah's question was said quietly and stated more than asked.

Linda's eyes widened and she hurried to correct her mistake. "No, honey… It's not like that!" She reached across the table to hold Sarah's hand, but the younger woman pulled her hands back and into her lap. Linda sighed and retracted her arm. "Sarah, I've already explained that I felt you would be safer and have a more normal life with your father in the Aboveground. I never wanted to leave you like that, but I thought it would be best for you. I've only ever been concerned with your well being."

Sarah nodded minutely. "Would you have ever told me about you being fae if this hadn't happened?"

Linda looked down at her hands for a moment before looking back up at her daughter. "I honestly don't know, Sarah. I hadn't planned to, but then I never really stopped to think about it. I probably would've had to make a conscious decision soon if this hadn't happened."

Sarah sighed and seemed to slump down in the chair a bit. "All right. I'll go to the ball with you, but I need to go back home until then. I need to not be around you for a while."

Linda looked about ready to protest, but then paused and reconsidered. "Okay. I'll take you back now and pick you up the morning of the ball. That'll give you three days."

"Deal."

"But," Linda continued. "Afterward I would like it if at some point we could spend some time together to actually get to know each other. Maybe over the summer when you're not working."

Sarah considered this for a moment before nodding. "Okay."

With that, Linda stood and held out a hand for Sarah to take. The young woman stood as well and took the proffered hand. After a few seconds of feeling like she was being squeezed through a tube, Sarah opened her eyes again to see that she was once more in the Aboveground. Everything was perfectly normal. The grass was green, the sky was blue, and her father and Toby were outside washing the minivan. Well… her father was washing while Toby played with the hose.

Sarah smiled and headed up the drive. "Dad," she called out.

Robert Williams looked up and grinned. "Sarah! Welcome back, honey. Did you have a good time?"

Sarah glanced back at her mother before shrugging. "It was interesting," she said noncommittally.

Toby, still not quite speaking yet, just smiled and giggled, the hose tight in his fist. Sarah grinned and bent down to pick him up. He was wet and soggy, but happy at the attention from his big sister. "You're all wet and dirty!" Sarah said in an exaggeratedly high voice. "Let's get you inside and cleaned up."

"Sarah," her mother called out as Sarah headed toward the front door. The younger woman paused and looked back. "I'll be back in three days."

Sarah only nodded before heading inside with a dripping Toby. It was about thirty minutes later after she'd changed Toby into clean, dry clothes and laid him down for a nap that Robert joined his daughter in the house. Karen was out with a friend and wouldn't be back until later that evening, so it was just the two of them. "Sarah?" Robert called out from the living room.

"In here, dad," she replied from the kitchen. Her father joined her to see that she was at the counter making a turkey and swiss on rye sandwich. "I'm starved. Did you want one?" she offered, gesturing towards the container of deli meat.

"No, I'm fine, thanks. Sarah, what did your mother mean when she said she'd be back in three days?" Robert asked leaning against the counter and folding his arms over his chest.

Sarah swallowed a large bite before answering. "There's this thing she wants to take me to. Apparently she wants to introduce me to some people," Sarah shrugged keeping to the truth for the most part.

"Bit odd…" Robert trailed off. "I mean she's barely been in your life for the past eighteen years and now she wants to take you places?" He glanced over at his daughter speculatively.

"I don't know, dad. She seems genuine though." Sarah took another large bite and chewed slowly as she considered what she wanted to say next. "Dad? How much do you know about Linda?" Sarah asked quietly.

"What do you want to know?" he answered reaching out to steal a potato chip off of her plate.

"Like where she comes from? What about her family?" Sarah asked keeping it general.

Robert shrugged a bit as he stole another chip. "Linda never really liked to talk about her past. When we first met she said she was from London. As for her family, I've never met them. I want to say she mentioned at some point that her parents were dead." Robert glanced over at his daughter then and noticed her disappointed look. "You have to understand, honey," he said quickly. "This all happened nineteen years ago and we were only actually together for about four months. When I found out she was pregnant with you, I offered to help in anyway I could. Hell, I even proposed to her thinking it was the right thing to do." He snorted at this and shook his head.

"But Linda wasn't like that. She didn't want marriage. After you were born, she lived with you in a small flat near my university. I offered to move in and help pay for things, but she didn't want help. I still wound up spending a good chunk of my time there." He shrugged. "I helped in any way I could. After a year though, she told me she wanted to leave. I asked where she was going and if I could still visit the two of you." He paused for a moment, a sad look in his eyes and the corners of his mouth down-turned. "She said she wanted to leave you with me."

Robert sighed and he shifted his legs before continuing. "We argued for a long time," he said quietly. "But she insisted a baby would not be able to have a safe, normal life with her. I told her of course I'd take you, but that I never wanted to see her show up expecting back into your life."

Sarah and her father were quiet for a long time while she finished her sandwich and chips. "I didn't know that," Sarah finally replied. "So… when she showed up at the graduation party…?"

"I was disappointed and a bit angry, but she'd already been popping in every once and awhile. Besides, I didn't want you to accuse me of trying to keep you away from her. You did seem eager to go with her." He raised an eyebrow as he eyed his daughter.

Sarah never did find out what Linda had said to convince Robert and Karen to let her go. So she shrugged again and kept it simple. "I wanted to see if she'd changed."

"Has she?"

"Kind of. She's not who I thought she was." Sarah held back a grin at her inside joke. "I guess I want to give her a chance if she's willing to try."

Robert pushed away from the counter and moved to stand so he was facing his daughter. "Sarah, I want you to promise me that you won't get too caught up in her affairs. Linda has always been flighty, and I don't want you to get your hopes up. Odds are she'll disappear just as quick as she came."

Sarah snorted. "Yeah, no worries, dad. I know. Next time I see her, I'll make it clear that this is her one and only shot."

Robert grinned and moved forward to hug Sarah. She hugged him back tightly. "I'll always be here for you, Sar Bear."

"Thanks, dad."

**oOoOoOo**

The next few days passed quickly. Sarah spent as much time as she could just trying to be normal. She job-hunted. She hung out with friends. She went to the movies. She took care of Toby. She even cleaned her room without being asked. She spent her last night at a sleep-over at her friend Sherri's house. The two had been friends since sixth grade, and even though Sherri was planning on moving across the country to go to University of California, Berkeley, the two promised to stay in touch. Sarah, no slump at academics herself, had been accepted at Cornell University.

However summer jobs and freshman year at college were forgotten when Linda rang the doorbell on the morning of the ball. Robert was the one to answer. The family had just finished with breakfast and everyone was still sitting in the kitchen. "Oh, Linda," Karen's eyes widened in surprise. However she recovered quickly. "Won't you have a cup of coffee? If you're hungry I could make up some more scrambled eggs and toast?"

"Coffee would be nice," Linda replied sitting next to Sarah. The young woman was still in her pajamas, plain shorts and a tank top with little hearts on it completed by a pale blue silk housecoat hanging open. "Oh my, Toby has grown," Linda commented.

"Yes, he'll be two in a month or so," Karen replied as she set a mug of coffee in front of Linda. "Sugar? Cream?"

"Sugar please."

Robert and Sarah remained silent during the exchange. Sarah because she was still tired and trying not to panic at going back Underground, and Robert because he was sizing Linda up trying to decide if she was going to leave Sarah in the dust again. "What brings you here so early?" Karen asked after setting the sugar bowl on the table.

"Sarah didn't tell you?" Linda glanced at her daughter.

"She told me," Robert spoke finally. "I'm sorry, Karen, I forgot to mention it."

Karen frowned at her husband, but didn't say anything. Sarah spoke up instead to explain. "Linda said she wanted to take me to this annual ball thing that she goes to to introduce me to some people. I said yes."

"Oh! We should have been shopping for a dress!" Karen looked horror struck.

"No need to worry!" Linda quickly interjected. "It's all been taken care of."

Sarah raised an eyebrow and glanced over at her mother, but didn't say anything. "When will you have her back?" Robert asked.

"Day after tomorrow," Linda replied.

Sarah, not having been informed of any of this, narrowed her eyes. "The ball is only one night though, right?"

Linda nodded as she swallowed a sip of sweet black coffee. "Yes, but you'll definitely want to sleep in the next day. These things usually run quite late, and well… it's just better if we wait to travel the following day."

Sarah consented with a small jerk of the head. "Fine."

"Have you packed, Sarah?" Karen asked wiping Toby's face with a damp cloth.

"No."

"Best go do that quickly then."

Sarah sighed and scooched back from the table to head upstairs. When she was gone Robert made eye contact with Linda. "Can I talk to you in the living room for a moment?"

Linda nodded. "Of course, Robert." She rose, leaving the coffee on the table.

Once they'd gotten out of range of Karen, Robert turned and crossed his arms over his chest. His mouth was set in a firm line and his eyebrows were slightly furrowed. "What are your intentions with Sarah?"

Linda quirked her lips and raised an eyebrow. "Robert, darling, don't look so serious. I'm bringing the girl back in two days." Robert didn't back down though, and continued to stare at the mother of his first-born. Linda relented with a sigh. "I just want to be a part of her life, Robert. I _am_ her mother."

"A mother who walked out on her daughter when she was only a year old," he stated flatly.

It was Linda's turn to be upset. Her tone lowered when she spoke next. "I didn't want to."

"That's not what you told me."

"I loved Sarah, but she was better off staying with you. I didn't want to leave her, Robert. But my life… it wasn't good for a baby." She trailed off towards the end in a pleading tone, begging him to understand.

"I really don't care what your excuses are, Linda. I was willing to work with you to raise our daughter together, and I was just starting law school. Tell me how _that_ is convenient to raising a child?"

Linda sighed. "I don't expect forgiveness. I just want you to know that if I could go back and do it again, I would change things… a lot of things."

The two didn't have a chance to discuss any further as Sarah came back down at that moment dressed in jeans and a Blink-182 t-shirt, a duffle bag over her shoulder. "I'm ready," she announced looking a little like she wanted to throw-up.

"Sarah, you don't have to do this," Robert uncrossed his arms and sent his daughter an understanding look.

Linda looked ready to argue, but Sarah interrupted before she could speak. "No, dad. It's fine. I'll be back in two days." She sounded like she was trying to convince herself more than him though.

"We'd best be off then. Lots to do to prepare for tonight," Linda stated headed towards the door.

Sarah nodded and moved forward to hug her father. "I'll see you in two days," she whispered into his shoulder.

"I'll be waiting," he answered hugging her tight.

She pulled back to see Karen standing in the hall with Toby. Sarah plastered a grin to her face and hugged them both at once. Toby giggled when her hair tickled his face, and Karen hugged her back. "Stay safe," she said as they pulled apart.

Sarah only nodded before turning to head out the door. Linda was already outside. The same silver sedan as before sat waiting in the driveway. "Come along then," Linda ushered her daughter into the back seat.

The drive to the park went quickly, and before Sarah knew it they were standing in a fairy ring in the woods that ran along the park and Linda was holding her hands out to transport them both. A tight squeeze later and they were outside Linda's ivy covered manor. "Are you alright?" Linda's voice shook Sarah out of her stupor.

"Yeah, fine," she replied turning to head inside the front door being held open by Ethan.

"Sarah, I promise the ball will be fine. There will be plenty of other new people there as well and even some half-humans like you. I know for a fact that Duchess Alesci's daughter is half human," Linda tried to reassure.

Sarah sighed and stopped in the large open entry-way. "Look, I appreciate what you're trying to do, but the only thing I've ever done that comes close to this is my senior prom. No matter how fancy you dress me up, I'm going to stick out as the human girl who was raised in the Aboveworld."

"Oh Sarah, it won't be that bad. Just be polite. Be yourself. You'll be fine. Stick with me until you feel comfortable. I'll make sure to introduce you to Duchess Alesci's daughter as soon as possible. She's close to your age and was raised half in the Aboveworld and half Underground."

Sarah nodded feeling a little better. "Fine. So what am I wearing to this thing anyway?"

Linda smiled and grabbed Sarah's hand to lead her to the room she'd been in last time. "I'm glad you asked!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again I apologize for how long it's taken to get this out. Honestly though with school the way it is, I'm thinking that I may be updating twice a month. I'm going to aim for the 1st and the 15th. We'll see how that goes. Thank you to everyone hanging in there and waiting patiently for this chapter! The reviews you've been sending have been encouraging, and I'm so glad you all are liking this so far! I really did plan to have Sarah and Jareth meet in this chapter, but it was already getting a little long (actually this is average length for me), and it was going to take another 2-3k words to get them together, so I decided to leave it till next chapter! Sorry... lol
> 
> Remember, dear reader, patience is a virtue.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The High King's Annual Ball takes place and both of our characters are there. Will they see each other? Or will they pass like ships in the night?

Sarah looked at the fey creature in the mirror. The tall elegant woman before her wore a long off the shoulder emerald green dress with a satin skirt that flared out in traditional ballroom gown style. The bodice had a sweet-heart cut and was embroidered with gold metallic thread. Sarah actually thought there may be real gold in the intricate design. Tight sleeves covered in the same intricate gold as the bodice wrapped around her biceps then gave way to loose flowing emerald material that went all the way to the tips of her fingers in the front and to mid skirt in the back. An emerald necklace with several large gems chained together with delicate gold work hung from her throat and dipped down to the budding mounds of her breasts. Teardrop emerald earrings graced her ears and were more noticeable because of the elegant knot, shimmering with gold glitter, her hair had been pinned back into. Finally, her makeup was simple, but tasteful. It wasn't too heavy, but accentuated her facial structure and brought attention to her hazel eyes.

She stared at herself a moment longer before the servant helping her dress drew her attention away. "Just the shoes, miss," the fae woman said holding a pair of open-toe emerald green low heels. A gold intricate metal piece accented the toe. The servant knelt to slip the shoes onto Sarah's feet. They were surprisingly comfortable.

"Thank you," she said quietly, standing up straight.

"There, you look beautiful," the servant smiled.

A soft knock came at the door then and the servant stood to answer. Linda was there fully dressed in a square-neck cut ballgown with black underskirts, champagne overskirts and bodice, lined with lace, and a necklace similar to Sarah's, but with onyx stones. "Oh! You look amazing, dear!" she exclaimed.

Sarah smiled a little. The girl in her who had dressed up and recited lines at the park was giggling and excited about the ball and her outfit. However she remained more reserved outwardly. "Thanks, you do too," she replied.

"Come on then, it's time to transport there." Linda held out a hand bedecked in glittering rings. Sarah took it and held on tight as the now familiar squeezing sensation stole over her for a minute before letting up. When she opened her eyes again, she was in a grand entryway. White marble with gold gilded accents arched up at least thirty feet above them. The ceiling was painted in the Renaissance style with cherubs, mythical creatures, clouds, and lazily posed people stretching to reach another's hand. A large crystal and gold chandelier hung from the tall ceiling lighting the room with the hundreds of candles ensconced in its framework.

"This way, please, your graces," a cultured voice said. Sarah jerked her head down to see a fae dressed simply in black in white. He was clearly one of the serving staff. The fae led them towards a pair of tall, heavy, gilded doors to the left of the entryway. They were open and Sarah could hear orchestral music playing softly. The murmur of many voices floated to her and the high pitched laughter of some woman in the room echoed. "Dinner will be served in approximately thirty minutes," the servant said before giving them a bow and moving back to his post.

Linda and Sarah made their way into the room properly. There were perhaps fifty or sixty glamorously dressed fae gathered in groups around the room while a small orchestra played in the corner on the far side of the room. No one was dancing yet, but Sarah supposed that would come after dinner. Linda effortlessly cut a path through the groups of fae, smiling and waving lightly at a few before moving on. Halfway through the gilded ballroom, she stopped next to a group of six fae. Two adult women, one adult man, one young man, and two younger ladies all halted to glance over at the two. "Linda, darling!" one of the adult women said with a wide smile as she moved forward to clasp Linda on the shoulders and give her a kiss on each cheek. "And who is this beautiful young lady?" she said looking over at Sarah.

"Lady Livia Alesci, may I have the pleasure of introducing my daughter, Sarah Williams."

"Daughter!? Goodness, my dear, I had no idea," Lady Alesci exclaimed before turning to Sarah and smiling. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Lady Sarah." She turned towards the older of the two young ladies standing next to her. "This is my daughter Nadia." She shifted to include the family of four behind her. "And this is the Rhys family."

The male fae took over at this point with a smile. "Glad to see you again, Lady Sarah," he said. "We weren't properly introduced last time. My name is Colonel Cináed Rhys of his Majesty's Army," he gave a slight bow. "And this is my wife, Rhia, and my son and daughter, Bran and Gwendolyn."

Sarah smiled and gave a small curtsy. "Pleased to meet you," she said. "Though I can't quite remember when we met?" She squinted slightly at Cináed trying to place him.

He smiled and nodded. "I'm not surprised given the circumstances. It was several months ago Aboveground. I helped you home."

It suddenly clicked in her mind. The stranger who had helped her home when her first heat had kicked in. "Oh! Yes," she exclaimed. "Thank you for that again." She blushed.

Cináed shook his head. "It was no trouble."

Linda looked at Sarah in surprise, but didn't comment. "I thank you for helping my daughter, Colonel Cináed."

"As I said, it was no trouble," the fae shook his head again.

"Linda, darling, let's not get off topic here. Just where have you been hiding this beauty of a daughter? The Aboveground?"

Linda nodded. "Sarah and I only recently reunited. She's been living with her father in the Aboveground until now."

"A human?" Lady Livia said. "My my, Linda dear. I knew you spent some time in the Aboveground a while back, but I had no idea this was why." She addressed Sarah with her next question. "How are you liking the Underground, Lady Sarah?"

Sarah had been studying the Lady Livia as she spoke. The woman seemed like the gossiping type, and was absolutely delighted at finding out this juicy bit of information about her friend. Sarah wasn't sure if she liked her very much. "It's very different from the Aboveground," she replied neutrally.

Lady Livia chuckled. "Yes it is indeed."

Lady Nadia, Livia's daughter, stepped forward then. "It's a pleasure to meet another half human, half fae," she smiled at Sarah and gave a small bow of her head. "I haven't been Aboveground for the last twenty or so years though, has much changed?"

Sarah blinked at the girl. She looked about the same as as herself, but obviously not. "Um… I guess so, but I wouldn't really be able to discuss the finer points."

Nadia nodded. However before anyone could start a new topic, a bell rang on the opposite side of the room. "Ladies and gentlemen," a male servant addressed the crowd from another door farther down from the main entrance. "Dinner will now be served. If you'll follow me, please." He turned and began to lead the fae into the dining room, which was set up with many large round tables and one long high table at the front of the room behind which a tall raven haired man with a silver circlet on his head stood beside a shorter white blond woman. Both were dressed regally in complementing colors of black, silver, and purple. Splendid jewels sparkled from their fingers, necks, and clothing. Sarah guessed that this was the High King and his spouse.

Linda led the way to a table near the edge of the dining room and seated her and Sarah so they could look out at the rest of the room. Lady Livia and Nadia joined them. However the Rhys family took a table near the front of the room closer to the high table. Sarah lost sight of them as the room filled with more nobles, each elegantly dressed with rich fabrics and sparkling jewelry. They were fantastic to look at, and Sarah had to consciously remind herself not to stare.

Sarah's attention was drawn away from the beautiful fae being seated by her mother mentioning her name. She looked back to her own table to see that two other couples had joined them along with two younger fae. One of the younger men was seated next to Nadia and the two had their heads close together discussing something with wide grins. Sarah guessed they were in a relationship. The other younger man was seated next to Sarah. He had rich warm auburn hair tied back in a single tail with a deep blue ribbon that matched the rest of his outfit. Sarah could only describe the blue as TARDIS blue. It was a perfect match for the Doctor's time machine. She grinned at that as their glasses were suddenly magically filled with white wine.

"This is my daughter, Sarah," Linda was saying to the newcomers. "Sarah this is Lord and Lady Abascal and their son Isodore." She indicated the young fae sitting next to Nadia. "Nadia and Isodore are engaged to be married." She smiled at the couple. "And this is Lord and Lady Ibsen and their son Håkon."

The young man sitting next to Sarah nodded and smiled in greeting. "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance," said genially.

A short bell ring from the high table drew their attention just then. The High King and his wife were standing, waiting to address the crowd of nobles. "Lords, Ladies," the High King started. "I thank you for joining us tonight. This past year has passed peacefully. Let us tonight celebrate the new lives that have been added to our number, and remember those who have passed on. Let the feast begin!"

With that a first course of pancetta crisps with goat cheese and pear appeared in front of everyone. Sarah marveled at the display of magic. She was still getting used to the fact that magic did indeed exist. The adults continued to talk, catching up with each other. Apparently the four ladies were old friends, but didn't see each other often. Nadia and Isodore were quietly talking between themselves as well. This left Sarah to converse with Håkon. The young man was polite enough, but he kept talking about some Underground sport called harpastum that Sarah had never heard of. Of course, once he learned that she had never heard of it, he was off explaining the rules and positions and players and famous games. It kind of sounded like a mix between handball and rugby. Eventually the appetizers disappeared and were replaced by a second course of chestnut fennel soup. Sarah sighed and tried to tune Håkon out as she sipped her soup.

oOoOoOo

Jareth sighed and tried to tune out Lord Straub as he droned on about the "outrageous" grain prices this year. He was seated between Lord Straub and his sister's husband, Cináed. Cináed fortunately seemed to recognize how bored his brother-in-law was and started up a conversation. "You'll never guess what I found out this evening," he said as he cut into poached salmon with mousseline sauce and cucumbers.

"I doubt I will, so you might as well tell me," Jareth replied somewhat irritably.

Cináed only grinned at his brother-in-law's annoyed tone and continued on. "Marchioness Williams of Willowhaven has a daughter who she is introducing to Fae society. She's been raised Aboveground with her father until now."

"Really?" Jareth intoned, still not interested.

"Indeed. Even more interesting is that I met her several months ago when I was above for a mission. She appeared to be going into oestrus for the first time, so I helped her home."

"How noble of you," Jareth murmured.

"She looks quite the beauty, very much like her mother was at her age." Cináed had grown up near Willowhaven, so he'd known Linda at a young age. "Though there's a strangeness to her scent. A kind of wildness similar to that Labyrinth of yours."

Jareth sighed as he realized Cináed wouldn't give up so easily. "That's very interesting, Cináed, please do go on." His tone was sharp and annoyed.

"Chestnut hair, green eyes, fair skin. Why, if I weren't already married and old enough to be her father..." Cináed replied with a leer as the salmon vanished and a palate cleanser of apple and Calvados sorbet appeared.

Jareth dropped his head and shook it slowly. "That is extremely repugnant, Cináed."

Cináed glanced over at his brother-in-law with one raised brow. "I dare you to look at the lass and not feel the same. Though you are quite eligible, so perhaps you'll act where I cannot?"

"And have you lusting after my child bride? I think not," Jareth smirked. Cináed chuckled and went back to his sorbet. Jareth spoke again after a minute, "What do you think my chances of leaving early are?"

"Oh no you don't!" Rhia, who was next to Cináed, exclaimed. "You promised, Jareth," she glared at him. "Besides, you've promised Gwendolyn a dance."

Jareth rolled his eyes but didn't argue. He loved his niece dearly and would not skip out on a dance with her. Perhaps he could slip away afterwards.

The rest of dinner passed quickly with herb crusted lamb cutlets on a bed of asparagus and stuffed mushrooms for the main entreé, a Caprese salad tossed in olive oil and vinegar, and raspberry white chocolate mousse for dessert. Jareth enjoyed it, but was still dreadfully bored.

By the time dinner finished and everyone was ushered back into the ballroom, Jareth had decided that he would hold his dance with Gwen then make his rounds to speak with the other nobles. Perhaps then Rhia would let him leave? He turned his attention then to his niece who was begging to dance with him. Gwendolyn was still quite young and only came up to mid-chest on him. He smiled down at her and bowed deeply before offering her his gloved hand. "Of course, my lady," he said.

Gwendolyn giggled and took his proffered hand. The elder fae led her to the dance floor, the tails of his black coat flaring behind him.

oOoOoOo

"May I have this dance, Lady Sarah?" Håkon asked politely.

Sarah glanced up at him startled. Until now he'd been talking about some fae named Jayendra who was apparently the best harpastum player ever. Looking around for a second, she could see that Linda was busy talking with Ladies Livia, Abascal, and Ibsen. There were many couples out on the dance floor now, the ladies skirts swirling around them and the men's tail coats flaring as they turned. She looked back to the gloved hand Håkon was offering her. His pale blue eyes were crinkled at the corners as he smiled at her. She gave him a small smile in return and nodded. "Okay, but you'll have to be patient with me. I don't dance much."

"I'm sure you dance beautifully," Håkon replied as he grasped her hand and led her onto the dance floor. They stayed on the edges of the dance floor while Sarah became more accustomed to the waltz playing. It didn't take long though before she was confidently gliding across the marble floor. Håkon was a good dancer, and was able to lead her through the crowd with ease. As they neared the center of the ballroom, Sarah gave him a genuine smile. The boys at prom hadn't known how to dance like this. However she faltered slightly at the sight of pale blond hair haloed around a handsome face and an aquiline nose. The fae to whom they belonged disappeared quickly though, and Sarah was left wondering if what she'd seen had been what she thought.

"Sarah?" Håkon brought her attention back to him. "Are you well?" He had slowed and they were now standing in the middle of the dancers.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she said quickly. "I… I just thought I saw someone I knew."

"Oh, did you want to go find them?"

"No!" She replied quickly and with a bit too much force.

Håkon startled, but recovered quickly. "Okay, why don't we sit for a bit then. I'll get you some wine, yes?"

"Yeah, that sounds good," Sarah nodded as they wandered off of the dance floor and back towards Linda.

oOoOoOo

Jareth grinned as Gwendolyn giggled. He twirled her around causing her pale pink skirts to flare out and her golden blonde curls to whip about her face. They had danced the last two dances and Jareth was just about to lead Gwen back to her mother when he caught a glimpse of a brunette young woman with hazel eyes. She wore an elegant emerald green dress, but his memory conjured up images of white. "No…" he murmured staring at the place where the woman had been before the crowed obscured her again.

"Uncle Jareth," Gwen called out to him.

He shook his head and smiled back down at her. "A thousand apologies, my Lady," he gave her a short bow. "Allow me to escort you back to your family."

Gwen giggled again and nodded as she took his proffered elbow. On the way back to Rhia and Cináed, Jareth kept an eye out for the young woman in emerald. He could have sworn it was… but no. That was impossible. She was a mortal living in the Aboveground. His eyes were playing tricks on him. Rhia and Cináed grinned upon seeing he and Gwen approach. "You danced lovely, my darling!" Rhia exclaimed crouching down to her daughter's level.

Gwen hugged her mother and proceeded to tell both her parents all about the dance. Bran was off talking with another young lad nearby. Jareth meanwhile continued to scan the ballroom. He knew his mind had to be playing tricks on him, but he couldn't shake the rush of adrenaline that had kicked in upon seeing her.

"Jareth?" Cináed broke Jareth's gazing.

"Yes?" He turned to face his brother-in-law.

"I was just asking if you wanted to take a turn about the room with me. There's quite a few nobles here I haven't properly met."

Jareth took in a deep breath and let it back out. "Yes, I was about to do that myself. Obligations and all that…" he trailed off as Cináed led the way towards a group of fae standing nearby.

oOoOoOo

Sarah sipped the last of her wine as she scanned the ballroom. Håkon stood next to her patiently waiting. He'd been slightly concerned when she'd tripped up on the dancefloor, but had quieted after Sarah insisted she was fine. "Håkon?" She addressed the young man.

He turned to face her, "Yes?"

"Do you know anything about the Goblin King?" She asked trying to seem casual. It had only just occurred to her that these people may know about the Labyrinth. She had no idea where that blasted maze actually was, but it certainly had not been in her world. Perhaps it was Underground? And if that was the case, then so was the Goblin King.

Håkon gave her a curious look, but answered. "Yes, why do you ask?"

Sarah gulped and tried to control her breathing. "I was just curious. There was a book in the Aboveground about him and I wanted to know if he actually existed."

Håkon nodded. "He does. In fact he's most likely here tonight. I could point him out to you if you'd like?"

"No, no! That's fine!"

Håkon raised one eyebrow, but didn't comment on her refusal. "What was the book about? Perhaps I can tell you what was true?"

Sarah took in a deep breath before nodding. "It was about a girl who wished her brother away. The Goblin King took him and challenged the girl to run his labyrinth in order to get him back."

Håkon nodded. "That seems accurate. A giant labyrinth surrounds the Goblin City at the center of the Goblin Kingdom. And he does take wished away children. Everyone is given a chance to run his labyrinth to retrieve the wished away, but not everyone succeeds."

"What… what happens to the children if a runner fails?"

"They're integrated into Underground society. Most go to live in an orphanage in the Goblin Kingdom. They're schooled, fed, clothed, and offered jobs here in the Underground. Though those are the mortal children. Fae nearly always solve the labyrinth. The magic of the labyrinth ensures that the runner has learned their lesson, but always makes sure they win." He shrugged.

"Huh…" Sarah trailed off. At least Toby wouldn't have become a goblin. "Well in the story, it's a mortal girl obviously, and she wins her brother back at the last moment after going through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered." She quoted the last bit directly from the book.

Håkon laughed out loud at this. "Dangers untold and hardships unnumbered? That does sound like mortal writing. But usually mortals don't win. Or at least it's very rare."

"Really? Why?"

He shrugged. "Something about no magic. They don't have the senses necessary to find their way."

Sarah set down her empty wine glass and looked around again. Across the ballroom from her was a wide double door that had been opened onto a balcony in order to let in the night air. She nodded towards it. "I'll be right back. I just need some air," she said.

"Did you want me to come with?" Håkon asked setting down his wine glass as well.

"No, that's fine. I won't be long," she smiled placatingly and quickly started to make her way across the room. The truth was she needed to be away from everything for a little bit. It was one thing to learn that everything she had gone through had indeed been real. It was another to learn that the man who had put her through it was at the same party she was. With any luck she would last the rest of the night without seeing him again, and she could go back home and sleep it all off.

oOoOoOo

Jareth and Cináed had gotten a little more than halfway around the ballroom. He'd spotted flashes of the emerald dressed young woman twice more, but hadn't seen her for at least the past twenty minutes. He was certain he was seeing things now, and should just head back to the Goblin City. Cináed had other ideas though. They finally finished up their short chat with Baron Urquhart, and Jareth took the opportunity to pull Cináed aside. "I think I'm going to step out, Cináed."

Cináed gave him a skeptical look. "Rhia will be disappointed. You should at least stay till midnight. We'll be leaving then with Gwen and Bran. It's already past their bedtime, and they'll be ready to go by midnight."

Jareth glanced at the clock. Only another hour if he stayed till midnight. He nodded. "Fine. Rhia can't badger me into staying if she's leaving as well. However I think I'll step out onto the balcony to get away for a moment."

Cináed nodded. "I'll meet you back over by Rhia and the kids."

Jareth made his way towards the double glass doors that were propped open letting in the cool night air. There was a small crowd gathered near the doors cooling off, while still listening in on the gossip and watching the couples dance. So it wasn't until he was on the balcony proper that he saw her.

Jareth stopped in his tracks. The music and chatter faded to nothing as a familiar scent stole over him. He knew that scent. It was like fresh rain and roses, but it held a wild undertone similar to the feral magic that ran through the Labyrinth. Jareth felt a desire to possess settle deep in his bones. It wasn't a feeling he was used to. He'd never met another who set off his pheromone receptors this way. The scent belonged to the woman in emerald. It had to, she was the only other person on the balcony. Jareth took a step forward towards the brunette woman facing away from him. His movement must have alerted her, because she turned then and a face - the same face that had haunted his dreams for weeks after she'd run his labyrinth - was suddenly looking back at him.

His jaw dropped open slightly as he took her in. She'd grown. She was a young woman now where only months before she'd been a girl. "Sarah," he whispered.

oOoOoOo

Sarah steadied herself on the railing of the balcony. It had been a long night already and she was ready to go home. Between the dancing and finding out that the Goblin King was in fact real and everything she'd gone through less than a year ago had been real too… Sarah was ready to fall into bed and sleep until tomorrow afternoon at least! She sighed when she heard movement behind her, and had a retort ready for Håkon that she didn't need a chaperone everywhere she went, but froze when she saw who had joined her.

His winter blond hair and pale sharp features were exactly the same. He was dressed in a black tail coat, dark double breasted vest, white shirt and cravat with off-white Regency style trousers with knee high black boots. The familiar triangular pendant hung from his neck as well. "Sarah," he whispered.

Sarah breathed in sharply ready to tell him to get away from her, but she caught a scent… it was like the first frost of winter in a pine forest. There was something about it that made her hold her tongue and calmed her. A part of her wanted to move closer, to explore that scent. She breathed in deeply again. "Jareth," she murmured. The name Hoggle had told her while she'd run the Labyrinth popped into her head.

They stood in silence for a moment until a white gloved hand rose from his side, palm up. "May I have this dance?" He asked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alight, alright! I know I'm evil for leaving it there!
> 
> I also know I said I would try to update on the 1st and 15th. Obviously that didn't work out. I'm now aiming for once a month. I apologize for the irregular schedule. School is making it difficult to write and meet deadlines. So expect the next update around April 20th. Hopefully I'll be able to meet that.
> 
> Thank you to everyone reviewing! It's very encouraging knowing that people are liking this story.
> 
> Oh! And here are pictures of the outfits Sarah and Jareth are wearing at the ball!  
> [Jareth's Outfit](http://fav.me/dbbggwt)  
> [Sarah's Outfit](http://fav.me/dbbghld)


	6. Chapter 6

_"Sarah," he whispered._

_"Jareth," she murmured._

_They stood in silence for a moment until a white gloved hand rose from his side, palm up. "May I have this dance?" He asked._

Sarah breathed in slowly, savoring the crisp night air and the alluring scent that came with it. Her hand started to rise of its own accord in response to the Goblin King's invitation. However a cool breeze fluttered past just then, clearing Sarah's head. She consciously lowered her hand back to her side. "Why?" She whispered.

Jareth lowered his hand as well. He took another step forward. "Why what?"

Sarah frowned. "Why… everything," she replied.

Jareth smirked and dropped his head, shaking it slowly. "I should have known it wouldn't be easy with you."

"What's that suppose to mean?"

He chuckled and looked back up at her. "Exactly what it sounds like, my dear." Sarah felt anger course through her at his statement. "How are you here?" He asked changing topics.

"What do you mean?"

"Here in the Underground. How are you here, Sarah?" He crossed his arms and gave her a penetrating stare.

"My mother brought me," she retorted.

Jareth seemed taken aback at this. His eyes widened for a moment before they narrowed again in examination. "You're not human," he stated with a rising intonation.

"Half," she replied. "Though I don't see why it concerns you."

"Still as belligerent as ever," he muttered.

She glared at him. "You can talk," she grumbled.

"There you are!" Another voice called from the doorway. Both Sarah and Jareth turned to face the newcomer. Cináed grinned when he saw the two on the balcony. "Ah, Jareth… I see you've met Lady Sarah," he smirked.

"Cináed," Jareth addressed his brother-in-law. "You know her?"

"Of course! She's the Lady William's daughter whom I was telling you about."

Sarah glared back and forth between the two of them. "If we're all done catching up, I'll be on my way," she started to move towards the doors back into the ballroom.

"Sarah," Jareth called out. She hesitated and turned back towards him. He looked like he was about to say something, but then his mouth closed. Sarah turned her back on him and headed inside.

Finding Linda wasn't an easy task, but she managed it eventually. Her mother was standing with a group of other fae women giggling. Each had definitely had a bit too much wine. "Linda," Sarah tried to catch her mother's attention. "Mother!" She exclaimed finally.

Linda turned to find her daughter looking anxious and a little angry. "What is it Sarah?" She asked still grinning.

"I'd like to go now, please."

Linda sobered a bit a this. "What time is it?" She looked around for a clock.

"I don't know, but I'd like to go now."

"It's nearly midnight, dear," one of the fae women in the group supplied.

Linda nodded. "Okay. We can go." She turned back to her friends for a moment. "It's been lovely catching up with you ladies tonight. We'll have to get together again soon."

The others in the group nodded and one or two stepped forward to hug Linda before mother and daughter started towards the exit. They made it out to the entry way and were bowed to by a servant who wished them a good evening. Linda grabbed hold of Sarah's hands and before she knew it they were back at Willowhaven. Sarah thanked her mother and started up the stairs to go to bed.

"Sarah," Linda called out to halt her. "Was there something that you wanted to talk about?"

"No, I'm just tired."

Linda didn't give up. "It's just that your wanting to leave was rather sudden, that's all."

Sarah dodged her hidden question. "I don't want to talk about it now. Tomorrow?"

Linda seemed to consider before nodding. "Okay, have a goodnight."

oOoOoOo

Jareth stared at the swish of emerald skirts as Sarah walked away. He'd been about to call her back to try to satisfy the urge to stay near her, but his pride had stopped him. Cináed let out a low whistle. "Does it seem a bit frosty out here or is it just me?" He joked.

Jareth rolled his eyes and took a deep breath of fresh air to clear his head. "You have no idea."

Cináed moved closer and settled a hand on his brother-in-law's shoulder. "I'd say I told you so, but you might decide to punch me and I'd be forced to take you down and that would just be embarrassing for you."

Jareth scoffed. "Is that so?"

Cináed shrugged. "What can I say? I've seer blood in my veins."

"No you don't."

"Are you sure about that?" Cináed grinned and started to lead Jareth back into the ballroom.

"Considering the amount of times I've won bets over you, yes, I'm sure." Jareth shoved Cináed's hand off his shoulder.

Cináed chuckled. "Fine, you've got me. Now come on, Rhia is waiting with Bran and Gwen who are both very insistent on giving their uncle a goodbye hug."

After Jareth had bid goodbye to his niece and nephew, he magicked himself back to the Goblin City. By this time the goblins were nearly all asleep, but Griord was still awake and waiting for his monarch's return. "Welcome back, your Majesty," the goblin bowed low as Jareth approached.

"All is well, I see," the Goblin King commented as he flicked a hand lighting a few candles in his study.

"Indeed, sire. Is there anything you need before retiring for the night?"

"No, I…" Jareth paused. The memory of Sarah marching away from him before he could say anything flashed through his mind. He still had the urge to find her and be near her even though he was well away from her alluring scent. His pheromone receptors had never reacted this strongly to an omega before. He'd been attracted to others and had his fair share of relationships, but none had lasted long. The alpha urge to find someone compatible always made him end it before things got too serious.

He knew of Marchioness Linda Williams from Willowhaven, though he'd never actually spoken to her. They'd run in different social circles, and her lands were far enough away that trade was impractical. However he knew from court gossip that she had spent a fair share of time in the Aboveground and it appeared that Sarah was the result of that time. "On second thought, Griord," he turned to address his chief of staff directly. "I will be visiting Willowhaven tomorrow. Please reschedule any appointments I have after noon."

Griord nodded. "Of course, your most gracious one. Is there anything else?"

"No, that will be all." He waved the goblin off.

"Have a good evening, sire," Griord bowed again before leaving the monarch to himself.

Tomorrow… tomorrow he would swallow his pride and make the first overtures at courting Sarah like an omega should be courted. Besides, he was curious as to how the woman had hidden her heritage from him last he'd seen her. With that, he made his way to his quarters and settled in for the night.

oOoOoOo

Sarah woke the next day just as the sun was reaching its midpoint. She could remember a servant helping her undress and take down her hair last night, but then she must have crashed from exhaustion. The reason for her exhaustion came back to her mind in startling clarity. Not only had she learned that everything she'd gone through last year had been real, but she'd faced the Goblin King himself. He'd surprised her at first with his offer to dance. What had he meant by that? Was he just being nice? After learning that mortals rarely won his labyrinth and remembering how she'd defeated him last year, she doubted it. In fact, he had every reason to be pissed off at her. However aside from a few remarks, he'd been peculiarly decent.

Sarah groaned and tried to put the Goblin King far from her mind. She'd probably never see him again anyway unless she went to the ball next year, and even then she could simply avoid him. A small part of her felt sad at that thought and urged her to seek him out again, but she forcefully pushed it back as she rolled out of bed and made her way to the en suite bathroom.

After a long hot shower, Sarah felt much better. She rummaged through the walk-in closet that had been filled with dresses, simple to elegant, in her size. She decided not to wonder at the cost or meaning behind it. Obviously Linda planned on having Sarah stay more often. Sarah selected a pale blue with white trim A-line dress with cap sleeves and a scoop neck. It came down to just above her ankles.

When she finally joined her mother in the smaller dining room for breakfast, Sarah had convinced herself that last night's encounter didn't deserve her worry. She was ready to head home and start job hunting for the summer before she headed off to college. Linda was already seated at the circular table when Sarah arrived. A spread of oatmeal, fresh fruit, tea, and muffins sat ready on the table. "You're up earlier than I expected," Linda stated as she selected a blueberry muffin.

Sarah shrugged after sitting across from her mother. "Always been a morning person," she said reaching for the oatmeal.

Linda watched her daughter as she sprinkled brown sugar and cinnamon and mixed milk into her oatmeal. "So? Did you want to talk about what happened last night?" she urged after Sarah had taken several spoonfuls.

"Not really," Sarah replied. "There's not much to say. I met someone I already knew, we don't get along, I wanted to leave." She shrugged.

"Who was it?"

Sarah shook her head. "Look, I'd rather not talk about it. Odds are I'll never see him again."

Linda raised an eyebrow, but let it drop. She didn't want to annoy Sarah any further especially when she was still trying to prove that the girl could trust her. The two sat in silence for a while eating their breakfast. Linda had several correspondences that she was reading over while she ate, and Sarah was glad for the quiet.

"Excuse me, ma'am?" Ethan was at the door to the dining room. "You have a visitor. Shall I show him in?"

"Who is it, Ethan?" Linda looked up from her letter, a perplexed look on her face.

"Erm… It's the Goblin King, ma'am."

Linda's eyes widened and she quickly set the letter down on the table. "What does he want?" she asked, her voice an octave higher than usual.

However Sarah simply groaned and dropped her spoon into her oatmeal. Both Ethan and Linda looked over at her in surprise. "Sarah?" her mother asked.

The younger woman looked up. "Can I be excused?"

Linda narrowed her eyes as things clicked in her brain. "Sarah… was it the Goblin King who you met last night?"

Sarah frowned and nodded after a second. Linda took in a deep breath and let it back out slowly. "We will be speaking about this later. For now, don't even think about moving from that chair," her eyes pinned Sarah in place. She turned back to Ethan. "Show King Jareth in, Ethan."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Linda… mom," Sarah tried to appeal to her mother, but Linda merely gave her that same look that pinned her in place.

A moment later, Ethan returned leading the Goblin King. He was resplendent in dark grey hose, black knee-high leather boots, and a mint green and black jerkin over a white poet's shirt. Linda rose as he entered and motioned Sarah to do so as well. She gave a curtsey and bowed her head before glaring at Sarah to do the same. Sarah rolled her eyes, but gave a short curtsey. "Welcome to Willowhaven, your majesty. We were just finishing brunch. Have you eaten?"

The Goblin King glanced between the two women before shaking his head. "I have, but some tea would be nice."

"Then please join us," she indicated the chair beside her.

Jareth sauntered across the room to join the small table, seating himself in the offered chair which was conveniently halfway between Sarah and her mother. A kitchen servant brought out another cup and poured tea for him before curtseying and departing. Linda let him sip at it for a minute before she addressed him. "It is an honor to have you at our table, Goblin King. However one does wonder at your purpose here this afternoon?"

Jareth raised an eyebrow as he acknowledged her question and swallowed his tea. "My dear Marchioness, I had the great honor of learning that Sarah here," he gestured at Sarah to his right. "Is your daughter." At this he turned to face Sarah. "She ran off before I could reacquaint myself with her last night."

"You've met before then?" Linda asked, trying to hide her demand to know more.

Jareth smirked at this. "Ah, you've been keeping secrets, Sarah," he said in a low voice.

Sarah glared at him. "No I haven't. No one has bothered to ask the right questions. That's all," she sniffed and crossed her arms over her chest.

The Goblin King chuckled, privately approving of her response despite Linda's admonishing look. "Indeed."

Linda, simply bursting with the desire to know more, managed to control herself when she next spoke. "Well then, Sarah. Tell me how you met the Goblin King."

Sarah glanced between her mother and the man sitting beside them. However Jareth surprised her when he turned to Linda and answered for her. "Sarah and I met a year ago when she wished her brother away to me."

"What? But Toby is still living with you! I saw him when I came to pick you up yesterday!" Linda exclaimed giving Sarah a confused look.

Jareth nodded. "She successfully navigated my labyrinth and won back young Tobias. She was quite impressive," his last statement was said while looking at Sarah who blushed and gave him a examining look. Why was he being so nice?

"Impressive indeed," Linda replied. "You said this happened a year ago?"

"Yes," Jareth nodded.

"Interesting. That may explain a few things."

Sarah gave her mother an enquiring look, but Linda merely smiled. "It was a lovely gala last night, don't you agree, your majesty?" Linda commented pleasantly changing the topic.

Jareth eyed her over the rim of his teacup. "Indeed it was," he agreed. "However it was the same as previous years. To be quite honest if my dear sister did not badger me into attending, I'd most likely remain in the Goblin Kingdom for the evening."

"Oh, but then you'd never have found Sarah again!"

Jareth smiled slightly and Sarah could've sworn his cheeks even turned slightly pink. "That is true. Last night's affair was highlighted by her unforeseen attendance."

"Really?" Sarah commented. "That was the highlight of your evening?"

The Goblin King turned towards her. "Undoubtedly, my dear. I was most surprised to see you."

"Surprised enough to seek my daughter out again?" Linda drew his attention back to her while Sarah contemplated what the fae meant.

"Yes, Marchioness Williams. Your daughter is a unique individual."

"May I ask your intentions towards Sarah?"

Sarah perked up at this. The conversation was not going at all how she'd expected, but the answer to this one question could solve everything.

"I do confess, Marchioness, that I desire to become better acquainted with Sarah. Your daughter has captured my interest."

"Her daughter is sitting right here and can hear you talking about her," Sarah grumbled annoyed that his response confused her even more.

"Sarah!" Linda admonished.

However Jareth merely smirked as he took a sip of tea. "Forgive me, my dear. I did not mean to leave you out of our conversation."

Sarah looked about ready to retort, but Linda's eyes brightened and she quickly spoke before her daughter could further insult their guest. "The gardens to the south are lovely this time of day. Why don't you take King Jareth on a tour of them, Sarah? Then you'll have a chance to reacquaint yourselves since the opportunity was missed at the ball?"

"An excellent suggestion," Jareth nodded. "Sarah," he turned to face her again. Would you join me in the gardens?"

Sarah gave her mother a sullen look with eyes narrowed and lips in a frown, but received no reprieve. "I suppose so," she finally agreed. Jareth rose from his seat and offered her a black gloved hand. She ignored it and rose on her own before heading towards the door. He watched her go with a smirk before turning to Linda again and giving her a short nod. "Marchioness," he said with a short bow of his head as a farewell.

oOoOoOo

Walking quickly, Jareth managed to catch up to Sarah right before she reached the French doors that led outside to the garden. "That was quite rude, you know," he said in a low amused voice as he followed her outside. The bright sun had started its descent, but was still high in the sky at the moment. The south gardens really were quite lovely right now. However Jareth was more focused on the young woman in front of him.

Upon hearing him behind her, Sarah spun around on the spot , almost causing him to run into her, and glared at him. "What are you doing here?" she ordered. " I thought last night made it clear that we obviously don't like each other."

Jareth took a step back and crossed his arms over his chest. "I don't remember much conversation at all last night, truth be told." The fragrance of the flowers was nearly overpowering her scent and the alpha part of his brain wasn't very happy with that. However he pushed it aside and continued. "You caught me by surprise last night, my dear. I had not expected you to be there, let alone looking that beautiful."

Sarah blushed, but continued to glare at him. "Look, I'm only here for the rest of today. I'll be leaving the Underground tomorrow morning. I think we can avoid each other until then."

"Why would we want to do that?" Jareth took a step closer.

Sarah frowned. "Because we don't like each other. Remember? You took my brother, I beat your labyrinth… let's call it even."

Jareth sighed and pinched his nose with forefinger and thumb before dropping his hands to his sides. He was finally beginning to understand why she was so hostile to him still. "I believe there have been some misunderstandings between us, my dear."

"Really?" She placed her hands on her hips.

Jareth sent her an irritated look, but continued on. "The Ritual of the Wished Away is a duty of my office. I take no offence against the runners who win. Why would I? In fact I am rather impressed by them. For each one who succeeds, the Labyrinth learns and adjusts for the next. Which means that for a mortal such as yourself, to win is a great accomplishment."

Sarah looked surprised by this and relaxed slightly from her defensive posture. The Goblin King gave her a sly smile though. "But you're not entirely mortal, are you?" He was keenly interested in her heritage. He'd only known a handful of fae-human hybrids and each was so unique in their abilities and what they had inherited that it was impossible to tell what qualities Sarah would have from each.

"No, but I didn't know that until a few months ago," she replied cautiously, continuing their walk through the gardens.

"Ah, I see why I did not perceive it either at the time. You had not been exposed to enough magic to trigger your inheritance, so you still appeared human. I'm guessing we have my Labyrinth to thank for correcting that." He looked over her critically, examining her from head to toe. "You've changed with your awareness," he commented. He'd casually clasped his hands together behind his back as they walked. The temptation to hold her hand and make a visual claim on her, was itching at the back of his consciousness though.

Sarah scoffed. "Yeah, awareness… you make it sound like a gradual awakening. More like it hit me like a Mack Truck. And I'm not sure 'thank' is the correct term." She rolled her eyes.

Jareth wasn't sure what a Mack Truck was, but he got the general idea. "I gather it was unpleasant?"

"That's one way to put it," she replied. They continued walking for another minute until they came to a fountain displaying cherubs holding large clam shells that spilled water down into three separate tiers. The ledge surrounding it was about three feet high and looked to be a suitable bench. Jareth led Sarah to it and seated himself. She followed suite a moment later, but made sure there was a healthy distance separating them. "Okay," she spoke. "So I get that you're not angry at me for winning the Labyrinth. But did you really come all the way here…" she paused for a second. "How far away is the Goblin Kingdom from Willowhaven?"

"About two week's journey by horseback," Jareth answered. "Though it's mere seconds for anyone who can teleport."

"Right," she seemed to be trying to wrap her head around the fact that she was in a world where teleportation was a normal thing. When she was done, she looked back up at him. "Did you really come all the way here just to get to know me better? I mean, there must be more important things to do than catch up with someone you barely know just because we happened to bump into each other last night."

Jareth sucked in a deep breath and let it back out. He'd debated how to explain this to her. It was unlikely that she knew the rituals of alpha/omega courtship. It was also unlikely that she completely understood how much pheromones played a crucial role in deciding one's mate. He debated if he needed to tell her of the way his pheromones reacted around her at all. Maybe he could simply try to win her affections on his own merit? He didn't think she would react well to being told that she was the only potential mate he'd ever come across. However an idea came to him that would allow him to speak with her in the future without fear of suspicion. "Sarah, I have been given the opportunity to learn how to better my Labyrinth," he shifted to face her more. "It is not often that I am able to speak with a champion. Would you deny me this?" One eyebrow rose and he grinned.

Sarah eyed him speculatively before nodding. "I suppose. So long as you're not popping into my bedroom or anything."

His grin grew, but he acquiesced. "Of course not! I _was_ raised a gentleman, you know."

She scoffed. "I'll believe that when I see it."

He rose from his seat and held out a gloved hand for her. She considered it for a moment before accepting it and rising as well. "Well we only have until tomorrow morning when I go back home, so what do you want to talk about?" she asked as they started to walk back toward the doors.

Jareth didn't want to push her. He knew he would have to play this carefully if he was to succeed. Sarah would need gentle persuasion. "Who says that our interactions must be done in the Underground?"

"You can come to my world?" she asked.

He smirked. "Of course."

She gave him a worried glance. "I'm going need to teach you about knocking, aren't I?"

He merely chuckled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for your patience over these past couple of months. Finals were not pleasant (hence why I could not upload a full chapter last month). However I hope this chapter makes up for it. There's plenty of Sarah/Jareth interaction here! Also, somehow a decent plot formed in my brain while writing this chapter and it's starting to look like this is only the beginning. There's rough waters up ahead, folks! Hang in there!
> 
> Finally, I just wanted to say that I'm uploading this a few days early because I will be traveling to New York to be the maid of honor in my best friend's wedding this coming Saturday. I'm super excited about it! But I'll be leaving the computer at home. Going to have way too much to do to be writing. See you next month!


	7. Chapter 7

Cináed gently tucked Gwen into bed and bent to softly kiss her forehead before brushing her strawberry blonde curls back. "Goodnight, pumpkin," he whispered. Rising quietly, he left the bedroom and returned to the sitting room where his wife had just returned from tucking in their son, Bran.

"All tucked in for the night?" she asked as she seated herself on the loveseat.

Cináed nodded, lowering himself to sit beside her. "Gwen was exhausted, fell asleep right away." He wrapped an arm around his wife and mate, pulling her close.

Rhia leaned into her alpha, fighting the urge to just fall asleep there in the sitting room. "Bran was too," she yawned.

Cináed leaned back into the loveseat, but was prevented from becoming too comfortable when a small sphere of blue light entered the room. He straightened up as it grew and coalesced into the form of his superior, Lieutenant General Alexis Schirmer. Short silvery blond hair and pale green eyes looked over the couple sitting on the loveseat. Cináed stood and saluted. "General," he greeted her. "What can I do for you?"

"At ease, Colonel," she replied and Cináed relaxed into resting position. "I realize it's late, and I apologize for interrupting your evening," she nodded toward Rhia with this statement. "However I must request that you teleport to HQ as soon as possible."

"Yes, ma'am," he nodded. "Is something wrong?"

The General sighed and relaxed her posture slightly. She and Cináed were old friends. There had been many stories exchanged at the officers club between them, and Alexis was Bran and Gwen's unofficial aunt. She spoiled the two rotten. The General was an alpha who had found a mate young in her military career, but he'd died during the birth of their first-born. The child hadn't survived either.

General Schirmer nodded. "There was another shipment to the Aboveground."

Cináed paled slightly. "Do we know how many casualties yet?"

"Over a dozen dead in the last fifty-two hours. No telling how many more."

Cináed felt Rhia's hand slip into his and squeeze slightly. "I'll be there shortly, General."

"Thank you, Colonel. Apologies again, Rhia," she dipped her head slightly towards the omega fae.

"I understand, General," Rhia replied and the General's figure shimmered out of sight.

Cináed turned to Rhia and enclosed her hand in both of his. "I'm sorry, my love."

She shook her head. "It's not your fault, Cináed. Just be safe." He gave her a small smile and bent to kiss the back of her hand. "Now go. The sooner you go, the sooner you'll come back to us." He gave her hand one last squeeze before quickly leaving to change into something more presentable to teleport to HQ.

oOoOoOo

Cináed marched into General Schirmer's outer office to find her aide, Kayin Afolayan, scratching something down on a piece of parchment. "Woke you up too, I see," he commented as he grabbed two cups and poured some freshly percolated coffee.

The aziza fairy* glanced up at him and rolled her amber eyes. "Who needs sleep, right?" She brushed dense ebony curls out of her face as she finished writing.

"Where's the boss lady?" he asked when he finished pouring.

"The large meeting room down the hall," she pointed absently to the left as she pulled a file out of her cabinet and began rifling through it.

Cináed saluted her with one of the cups and made his way down the hall where the door to the large meeting room was open. Lieutenant General Schirmer was barking orders at the others in the room demanding to know more information. "Let's move people!" she glared around the room resulting in a flurry of activity. Cináed slipped in and to the front of the room where he offered her one of the cups of coffee. She leaned back against the table and gratefully accepted the cup. "'Bout damn time," she commented before taking a sip.

"You only called ten minutes ago," Cináed gave her a side-glance.

"I meant the coffee." Alexis took another sip.

Cináed grinned and sipped his own coffee. "So what do we have?"

Alexis turned back to the table where statistics, maps, and reports littered the mahogany surface. "We know where the affected area is in the Aboveworld, but we're still no closer to finding out who is distributing it." Alexis gestured to the map of the Aboveworld, a small red circle was drawn around several cities. Cináed caught a glimpse of the names Miami, New York, Mexico City, Rio de Janeiro, and Toronto. "This batch in particular seems stronger than the rest. More humans are dying, and it's catching the attention of their law enforcement and media. They've started calling the drug Cloud 9, Bliss, Blue Magic..." She glanced up at him. "Needless to say they're inventive when coming up with names." She turned back to the reports. "As you know, in fae the drug causes mild hallucinations, agitation, and paranoia. However in humans it causes those as well as high blood pressure, chest pains, suicidal thoughts, and death in 75% of cases."

She sighed and suddenly Cináed could see the tired and weary woman under the mask. He set down his coffee and leaned closer to her. "This case is taking a lot out of all of us, Alexis. The drug creators are careful to cover their trail, but sooner or later they will screw up and we will catch them when that happens."

"There's just so much about this that doesn't make sense though! If the goal is to take out the humans then this is a very ineffective and slow way to do it!" she growled.

"Maybe it's not to get rid of them? Maybe it's just to cause them pain? There are a few fae I can think of who wouldn't turn away from causing humans harm."

"That's a possibility," she conceded. "But it still needs to be stopped, and soon."

Cináed nodded in agreement. "Where do we start?"

I've got a team in each city that this recent batch has popped up in. However the hardest hit has been here in New York City. They've had seven die from this batch alone so far, and more than sixty deaths total. I know you met with a contact near there recently. Do you think you can find him again?"

"I'm sure of it." Cináed stated confidently.

"That's what I like to hear, Colonel. You'll take a small team and head to the Aboveground. Approach your contact, and find out whatever you can. We're going to catch the bastards this time. I can feel it." The General seemed to have regained her confidence, and Cináed was glad to see it.

"Yes, General."

"You'll leave within the hour. Oh, and Cináed?" He turned to face her, a small grin on her face. "Do keep in contact this time. I want to know the moment when we can nail this guy."

The alpha nodded and swept out of the room to assemble his usual team before heading Aboveground.

oOoOoOo

Sarah wiped the sweat off her brow, smearing dirt above her eyebrow in the process. She then patted down the soil around the freshly planted tomato plant before reaching for the next from the small metal wagon beside her. She'd been back Aboveground for almost a week, and in that time she'd found a job for the summer in tending gardens (both plant and vegetable) around the city. Karen had come up with the idea originally. The Williams family had kept a vegetable garden in the backyard for several years, and even though Sarah hadn't always liked Karen very much until recently, she did love tending the plants and gained satisfaction from watching them grow under her care.

Now she had nine customers who paid her to tend their gardens. It was hard work sometimes, but it was also a job where she could take a day off as necessary, something she thought she might need if the Goblin King ever made an appearance. She shivered slightly despite the hot sunny day. The fae hadn't shown himself since that last day Underground at Willowhaven, and Sarah was starting feel a little anxious about his impending arrival. She'd found herself jumping at sudden noises and jerking when someone unexpectedly touched her from behind.

"Don't let him control you like this," she muttered, angrily shoving the trowel into the soil to make way for another tomato plant.

Sarah finished her chores in Mr. Hanson's garden after another two hours of hard work. Sweat dripped down her brow and stained her tank top. All she thought of as she cleaned and packed up her tools was a cool shower once she got home. It was already close to five o'clock and she'd been working since eight that morning in various gardens across town with only a one hour lunch break with Karen at around noon.

The ancient blue Volkswagen hatchback was finally loaded up with her tools, and she eagerly cranked the A/C after climbing in the driver's side. Leaning back, she closed her eyes for a second and let the cold air wash over her. This was her one moment in the day she could relax. She would let her mind go blank and enjoy the feeling of having done a hard-day's labor for five minutes before driving home. However today was apparently not meant to be relaxing, because not a minute after she closed her eyes a pompous voice right beside her remarked, "You look filthy. Do all mortals roll around in the dirt, or is it just you?"

Sarah startled so hard she hit the roof of the car with her head. "Sonofabitch!" she cursed, but settled slightly after seeing that it wasn't some random stranger in her car. It wasn't much better though. Jareth the Goblin King was seated in the passenger's seat with a look on his face that Sarah usually only associated with Karen when she didn't like something, but also didn't want to hurt her feelings by telling her so. "What the hell are you doing here?" Sarah growled, still gripping the steering wheel with a white-knuckled grip.

Jareth sniffed and shifted in the seat so he was facing her more. "I did say I would come to visit you," he stated.

"Yeah, but there was no mention of scaring me to death!"

The Goblin King rolled his eyes, but apologized. "I regret that I scared you, but you'd be surprised at the lack of ways to teleport in and not scare someone."

This time, Sarah rolled her eyes. "How about you don't teleport directly into my car next time? You know… just knock on the window or something like a normal person."

He raised an eyebrow at her suggestion. "Do I seem like a normal person to you, Sarah?"

She frowned as she looked him over. He'd at least made an effort to look somewhat human. He was wearing dark slacks and a plain dove grey button-up under a dark grey vest. His blond hair was pulled back into a tail at the base of his neck and the usual markings around his eyes were missing. "No," she finally admitted. "But I will give you kudos for attempting to appear human."

"Do I pass?" he smiled a little as he looked down at his outfit.

"A little dressy, but yeah," she nodded. "So what are you doing here, Goblin King?"

"I was intending to ask you to dinner with me, but…" he trailed off looking at the soil darkened knees of her capris, dirt smears along her arms and face, and darkened fingernails.

"Look, if you're going to come here and just make fun of me then I'm going to retract my offer for you to visit!" she snapped as she put the car in gear and headed towards home.

Jareth gripped the door handle and the center console tightly as the car started to move. "I did not mean to insult you," he replied with a strained voice.

She glanced over to see him holding on for dear life. Letting out a sigh, she slowed the car slightly so that the G-forces didn't pull so much when she rounded corners. "You're fine, Goblin King. I won't kill us."

"Of course not. I'd teleport us out before something happened." However he did seem to lessen his grip slightly.

"Right… well if you are earnest about taking me out for dinner, then you're gonna have to wait until after I clean up and change."

"Not a problem, my dear."

She glanced at him and wondered at his easy usage of the term of endearment. "You say that now," she continued on. "But that means meeting my parents and little brother."

At this, the Goblin King frowned slightly, but quickly fixed a smile on his face. "I'd be honored to meet your parents and brother. Though I believe young Tobias and I are already acquainted."

Sarah narrowed her eyes at his pleasant manner. "Stay away from him, Goblin King."

Jareth let out a put-upon sigh. "I have no desire to steal your brother away, Sarah. As I explained before, the Ritual of the Wished Away is a duty of my office. I have no malignant intent towards those wished away even if they are won back. You have nothing to fear from me."

"Fine, just try not to let them know that you're fae then, okay?"

He gave her a scathing look that asked if she really thought he was that stupid. "Of course," he replied.

The rest of the drive was filled with Alanis Morissette singing about irony, and Sarah wondering how to explain the sudden appearance of Jareth. He was definitely a bit older than her and out of the range of what her father would probably consider acceptable boyfriend material. Not that she wanted to pretend the Goblin King was her boyfriend! Maybe she could say that he was one of her customers and he wanted to thank her by taking her out to dinner? Was that too weird? That was too weird.

She sighed as she pulled in the driveway and parked the car behind her dad's silver sedan. She looked over at Jareth, about to tell him that she changed her mind and that he should just stay in the car, but she jerked back startled when a younger face looked back her. It was still the Goblin King, but he was younger. There were less lines on his face, and his eyes looked wider, more youthful. His cheekbones were less prominent, making his face look fuller. "How…?" she trailed off.

"I realize that an older man asking a young girl to dinner may appear untoward in the Aboveworld, so I changed my appearance," he responded matter-of-factly.

"You… you didn't have to," she said still taking in this more youthful version of the Goblin King. "I mean, you could've just waited in the car."

"And what would you have told your parents in regards to your whereabouts this evening?"

She shrugged. "That I'm going out with a friend."

Jareth cocked an eyebrow and stared her down. "I was quite serious when I said I would like to meet your parents, my dear."

"Why?" she asked, pausing as she opened the door.

"Because if I am to visit you in the Aboveworld, I don't want to restrict those visits to outside of your home. You would be most comfortable in familiar environments." He shrugged as though this were obvious.

Sarah stared at him for a moment, trying to figure him out. One moment he was insulting her, and the next he was being kind and courteous. It was kind of giving her whiplash jumping back and forth between the two. Finally she nodded and admitted defeat to herself. "Okay, let's do this then."

He followed her up the drive and to the front door. "Dad? Karen?" she called out as she entered and slipped her shoes off.

"In the living room," Karen called back.

Sarah led Jareth toward the living room, holding her breath and working herself up to introducing him. Upon seeing the young man behind their daughter, Karen and Robert Williams stared for a moment before her father asked, "Who's this?"

"Uh, this is… Jareth Reine," she stuttered out. "He's a friend from school."

"Nice to meet you Jareth," Karen smiled. "I don't remember Sarah mentioning you before though?"

Jareth smiled warmly. "Sarah and I only started spending time together recently."

Karen seemed to accept this answer and nodded. Sarah glanced between her parents and Jareth and quickly started speaking again. "So I'm going out with Jareth tonight to catch up. He's been out of town visiting family."

"When will you be home?" her father asked closing his book.

"Um," she glanced at Jareth for a second, but he didn't give any indications. "By nine."

Robert nodded. "That's fine."

"Right, I'm going to go clean up first." Sarah pointed towards the stairs. "Be down in a bit."

Jareth nods. "I'll wait here for you."

Sarah quickly ran up the stairs and grabbed some clean clothes before jumping in the shower. She showered, dressed, and fixed her hair about twice as fast as normal, worried about what was happening between her parents and Jareth. When she finally finished, she ran down the stairs and back into the living room only to find Karen and her dad smiling at something Jareth had just said. "Ah! Sarah, are you ready?" he asked upon seeing her.

She eyed the scene with suspicion, but quickly schooled her face and smiled. "Yeah, I'm good to go."

Jareth bowed his head slightly towards Karen and Robert. "It was a pleasure to meet you," he said and proceeded to follow Sarah out the door. Once outside, Jareth gave her a skeptical eye and remarked, "Reine?"

"What?"

"Reine, the surname you gave me."

"Oh! Yeah… I dunno, I just said the first thing that came to mind. It means king or something like that in French, I think."

Once again, Jareth gave her a skeptical look, his eyes narrowed and not quite believing her. "It means queen in French."

Sarah smirked and giggled a little. "Does it?" Jareth rolled his eyes, and looked about ready to comment further, but Sarah changed the subject as they got in the car. "What did you talk about with my parents?"

"I told them of how we did not always get along, but now we're trying to be friends."

"Oh my god… Karen is so going to think I'm dating you." Sarah shook her head slowly before putting the car in reverse and backing out of the driveway.

"Is there something wrong with that?"

"Well, not exactly besides the idea of us dating… but she's going to badger me when I get home about how our date went."

"This isn't a date?

She gave him a severe look. "No," she stated flatly. "It's not. It's supposedly so that you can learn about me so that you can improve your labyrinth."

"Of course," Jareth smirked, but didn't comment further. Instead he asked, "Where are we going for our dinner?"

"I don't know," Sarah shrugged. "Just started driving. Where do you want to go?"

"I am unfamiliar with the food services available in the Aboveworld. I have not stayed here recently."

"Right," Sarah trailed off. She thought about the available places nearby and which would be the least likely to have people she knew. Honestly, about half of her graduating class was working somewhere in town before packing off to college. Suddenly inspiration hit and she smiled as she turned left at the next corner.

Fifteen minutes later, they were sitting on a bench near the pond in the park with submarine sandwiches and potato chips. Jareth had been skeptical at first, but seemed to be enjoying his roast beef and provolone sandwich. The swans were swimming on the far side of the pond, and Sarah watched them lazily drift as she took a bite of her turkey and swiss. "This is a pleasant space," Jareth remarked looking around at the open area.

"Yeah, it's one of my favorite places to go. Usually the kids stay over by the playground, so the pond is relatively peaceful," Sarah replied. "So what did you want to talk about?" She was feeling more relaxed now that she was at the park. Jareth had caught her off guard back at Mr. Hanson's house, but now she'd had a little bit to adjust to his presence and so far he'd been fairly decent.

"Why don't we start with your family?" he suggested.

"Okay… well dad has been married to Karen for about three years now. Toby came about a year after. I think he was a bit of a surprise to everyone, but he grows on ya."

"Are you close to your father and step-mother?"

Sarah nodded. "Yeah, dad and I have always been close. Had to be. Linda walked out on us before I was old enough to remember." She said this bitterly. She now knew why Linda had left, but it still made her angry. "Karen and I have only just started to get along though," she continued. "I kind of hated her for a while. I mean, she just came in and dad thought the world of her, and she started taking over in the house…" she trailed off.

"What changed your mind?" Jareth asked quietly.

Sarah glanced over at him for a moment before looking down at her half-eaten sandwich. "I guess it was after I ran the Labyrinth. I dunno, things just kind of changed after that. I went through some tough stuff afterwards, and she was there to help me through it even after how horrible I'd been to her." She shrugged. "I began to see that she wasn't really a bad person, and that she really does love dad and he loves her."

Jareth nodded quietly, and they both ate some more of their sandwiches for a moment. Sarah finished her own sandwich and crumpled up the wrapper. "So what else do you want to know?" she asked tossing the wrapper ball in the bag.

"What of your relationship with your mother?" Sarah grimaced slightly, her forehead wrinkling up. The Goblin King reconsidered his request. "If you'd prefer not to speak of…"

"No," Sarah stopped him. "No it's fine. It's all just a bit confusing for me still."

"Perhaps talking it through would help?" he suggested.

She looked over at him, trying to decide if this was a good idea. The Goblin King was not her first choice when it came to therapy talks. However he was probably the most neutral party who was in the know of her heritage. Her father was biased because of his relationship with Linda, and besides, he didn't know about the Underground still. She felt a weight settle in her stomach. She needed to tell her dad about this whole thing. He deserved to know, and it wasn't fair to keep it from him. Later, she decided, this weekend when Karen took Toby on his play date with James, her friend's son around the same age.

"Okay," she finally said.

"You really don't have to if you don't want to," he commented turning to face her more and sitting sideways on the bench.

Sarah moved to mirror his position, her legs crossed in front of her. "No, I mean, it's fine. I can't really talk to my dad about all this." Jareth nodded for her to continue. Sarah took a deep breath to steady herself before beginning. She told the Goblin King of when her dad had sat her down when she was five years old and told her about her mother, or at least what he knew. She told him about Linda showing up for the occasional school concert, but overall staying out of her life until graduation. She told him about when she went into oestrus (skimming over the details) and how that was when she learned the truth about her mother and her own heritage. Finally she told him of the build up to the ball where they'd met again. "I think you know the rest from there," she finished quietly.

Jareth nodded. "It's a complicated situation," he commented. "How do you feel about your mother now that you know everything?"

Sarah frowned. "You know what? I think I would feel better here if I wasn't the only one spilling their guts."

Jareth leaned back, slightly offended. "Excuse me?"

"What I mean is it would help me to feel better about talking to you, if you were to tell me some personal information too. You know, trust is a two-way street."

He frowned, but nodded. "I see what you mean. Very well then, what would you like to know?"

"How about _your_ family? Do you have one?" Sarah leaned back against the armrest of the bench, her hands folded in her lap.

"Of course I have a family," Jareth replied. "My parents have passed on, but I have a sister who is married and has two children, Gwendolyn and Bran."

"Oh, I'm sorry about your parents."

He waved her off. "It was many decades ago."

"So you can die? I mean you're not actually immortal?"

"To one such as yourself who has accepted an average lifespan of approximately eighty years, yes we would seem immortal. However we are not. We merely age much more slowly than humans."

"So like, what's your average lifespan then?"

"Two thousand years, give or take a couple of decades," he shrugged.

Sarah's eyes nearly bulged out of her head. "Two thousand years?! How old are you?"

Jareth grinned with an amused smile. "I'll be turning seven hundred and forty-two years next January."

Sarah seemed at a loss for words. Her mouth opened and closed several times until she finally whispered, "Seven hundred and forty-two?"

The fae chuckled. "If it makes you feel better, that's only about…" he paused to do some mental math. "About 30 years old in human terms."

"Good lord that's almost twice my age," Sarah commented still reeling from his actual age.

"Are you trying to make me feel old?" he frowned.

"That's inevitable because you _are_ old," Sarah retorted.

Jareth snorted. "From my perspective, you are but a babe."

"Whatever, old man." She turned and stretched out her legs in front of her. They were starting to get stiff from sitting cross-legged for so long.

Jareth observed this and stood from the bench, stretching a bit himself. "I think that's about enough of that for tonight," he commented.

Sarah stood as well. "Afraid you'll lose a verbal sparring session with a babe?" she grinned.

Jareth rolled his eyes. "Nothing of the sort. It's getting late and I imagine your father will start to worry."

Sarah continued grinning. "Whatever you say, old man." However her demeanor changed rapidly when she saw the time. "Oh shit! It's quarter to nine!"

Jareth smirked down at her, his arms crossed over his chest as though to say 'I told you so'. Instead he said, "Come, hop in your metal contraption and I will transport us back to your home."

"You can do that?"

"Of course. It's a little bit more tricky with your vehicle, but doable."

"Right…" Sarah sounded skeptical. "Thanks, but no thanks. It's only a five minute drive."

"Whatever you prefer," he replied.

They started walking back to the car. "So when are you coming next?" she asked, fishing for her keys in her purse.

"Eagerly anticipating my next arrival?" he grinned.

Sarah snorted. "No, I just want to be prepared so you don't scare me again."

Jareth chuckled and answered, "I am not certain. Would this same time next week be amenable to you?"

"Sure."

"It's a date then."

Sarah gave him a sidelong glance. "Yeah, not a date, remember?"

"It's an expression, Sarah."

"Right, do you need a ride anywhere?" she asked as they reached the car.

"No, I will transport back to the Underground from here."

"Okay… well, see you next week, I guess."

"I look forward to it." He gave her a small bow of his head before disappearing in a small cloud of glitter.

Sarah sighed and got in her small blue hatchback. She was surprised at how well this meeting had gone. He was courteous and thoughtful of her feelings in his questions. And she even got to know a bit about him. Though she did notice that he hadn't gone into great detail with his family. She'd have to ask him more about his sister next time. Sarah put the car in reverse and backed out from her parking spot. All in all, this had been almost fun, aside from him scaring her to death when he'd popped into her car. At least she knew when he would be coming next time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the lateness of this chapter. June was one hell of a month. I won't go into details of my personal life, but let's just say real life sucks a bit at the moment. However it's getting better because I'm doing Camp NaNoWriMo for the month of July! It's gonna be super fun! For those who don't know what NaNoWriMo is, check out the nanowrimo.org or campnanowrimo.org. It's a great place to write and meet new writer friends!
> 
> Also, here's a few images to help you imagine young Jareth!  
> [Young Bowie](http://fav.me/dbbgkjz)


	8. Hiatus

I'm updating to let you all know that this story is going on hiatus. I'm not sure when I'll resume writing it, but I do still hope to finish it. I realize that many people were very interested in it and the unique concepts, but it's become more of a chore to write it and ideas are not forthcoming. Between my new job and various summer events happening, this story has taken a back burner, and it's not fair to you lovely readers to be constantly waiting. I hope that someday in the near future this story won't be so painful to write and I'll be able to finish it.

Until then, I do still plan to continue writing. I've got several story ideas for various fandoms that I'm working on as well as my never-ending story co-written with **queenoftheslayers** (Close Encounters of the Fictional Kind). Hopefully between writing for other stories and taking a break, I'll work up enough motivation to finish this story. I promise you that I'm just as interested in how it ends as you are! In the meantime, feel free to check out my other Labyrinth stories both here and on fanfiction.net [(click here for a link to my ff.net page)](https://www.fanfiction.net/u/1855491/).

I apologize for doing this, but honestly hiatus is the best option for everyone right now. It gives me time to review things and try to get an idea of where I want to go, and it gives my readers knowledge that I haven't given up and that I want to do what's right by them.

Thank you for your patience and time.

~Ismira


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